


Broken Wings of the Hegemon

by n00t



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Relationships, Byleth has feelings, Byleth has so many feelings, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, I'm Bad At Tagging, My First Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Relationship(s), References to Depression, Slow Burn, Smut, Tags May Change, no beta we die like men, smut will get better i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:08:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 62,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28595235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n00t/pseuds/n00t
Summary: Byleth has lived countless lifetimes, and she remembers every one. This time, she sets her sights on the heart of a student who is usually out of reach. However, in doing so she has cursed herself to kill everyone she has loved before.
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez/Bernadetta von Varley, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/My Unit | Byleth, Linhardt von Hevring/My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, My Unit | Byleth/Hubert von Vestra, My Unit | Byleth/Seteth, Sylvain Jose Gautier/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

_"The castle is crumbling! We must escape!"_

_"Professor! Take cover!"_

_"Professor!"_

Byleth closed her eyes as the cool air rushed around her, cradling her in a sense of familiarity. She had all but lost track of how many times she had been here before, falling to a five year long slumber. This time, however, was different. She almost laughed to herself. Instead of being pushed to her death by Thales, she was instead pushed by Rhea herself.

Byleth thought back to battles fading to the wash of time. How many times had Byleth caught Rhea as she fell into the chapel? How many times had she saved the lives of those she had just tried to kill? Those she loved beyond words? 

This time was different, as she had chosen a path she dared not take before. She sided with Edelgard, her enemy for so many lifetimes. The thought of it formed a pit in her stomach. Images of a twisted, demonic form flooded her memories, along with memories of those that form had killed. 

She knew she was nearing the bottom of the ravine. Nearing her death. She wondered if this was all really worth it; she knew this path would be painful and bloody. She would be lying if she said she was doing this for Edelgard. Byleth was too jaded with memories of her loved ones being struck down by Edelgard’s hand to curse herself into this twisted dance of killing her loved ones for Edelgard’s sake. 

No, she was doing this for him. 

The one person she could never save, no matter how many secret and tender moments they had stolen away. No matter how hard she tried, she always failed. She always had to kill him, and a part of her always died alongside him. She knew deep down this was worth it. Perhaps if she used this opportunity to get to know Edelgard better she could stop the war from ever starting next time. But even if she couldn’t, she knew it would be worth it just to hold him in her arms and not have her thoughts consumed by the lurking knowledge that he would soon die by her hand.

She held herself tight, imagining his arms around her as she shattered through the ground like it was a pane of glass. Just like that, it was time to awaken once more.

-

“Well now. That face is certainly familiar. I am glad to see you alive and well, Professor.” 

Byleth could hardly keep the blush off her face. She had seen him like this before, long raven hair swooped in front of his beautiful chartreuse eyes, and cursed herself for blushing like some young lovestruck maiden. As she had only ever met him on the field of battle before now, she had never gotten a good look at how handsome he had truly become.

She felt his eyes glancing over her, taking in her ever-unchanging form. Just once she wished she could see herself grow as her students always did, but she was forever locked into her current age due to the Nabatean blood flowing through her veins. Her thoughts danced to Seteth, and the betrayal and pain on his face as she charged him during the battle of Garreg Mach. She winced as the pain ripped through her heart, feeling Seteth's pain as if it were her own. 

Hubert noticed her distress, raising an eyebrow at her. She tried to smile through the clenching of her heart, not wanting to draw any more attention to herself. The concern on his face only grew, and he moved to stand beside her as Edelgard finished her briefing.

“I will escort the professor to her chambers, I’m sure she wants to get cleaned up after her long journey.” Hubert said firmly, to which her students murmured in disappointed agreement. Byleth began to protest, but one stern glance from Hubert froze her words in her throat as he whisked her away from the group.

“I saw that look on your face. Are you sure you’re uninjured?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at her as they exited the cathedral.

“I’m fine, I assure you. I just can’t believe how much you’ve all grown.” Byleth lied through her teeth, which Hubert thankfully either didn’t realize or chose to ignore.

“Yes, time changes all things. Except, of course, you.” Hubert replied, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow as they crossed the bridge towards the reception hall. He was never outwards with his affection, especially in public. Byleth wondered if he had simply missed her this much or if she truly looked so unwell as to need support. They walked in silence, each one feeling out the presence of the other as they continued towards the dormitory.

As soon as they approached her door, Byleth knew something was not right. Hubert must have sensed it as well, as he ushered her to stay back as he cautiously opened the door. They both jumped as a small flock of startled birds scattered through the broken window on the far wall. Hubert scanned the room, and once he was assured it was safe, allowed Byleth to step inside. If this was her first time seeing the dilapidated state of her room, her heart would have dropped into her stomach. But after so many lifetimes she knew what to expect. 

Surprisingly, her room had not been looted this time. She attributed this to the Imperial Army’s occupation of Garreg Mach during the five years she was asleep. She was pleased to find all of her belongings exactly where she left them, simply covered with dust and the occasional bird feather. She froze when her eyes landed on the dusty pink tassels that hung from her wall.

“Hubert! Is Frey alright? Oh Goddess, please tell me he survived the battle!” Byleth felt the panic rising in her chest, hands weaving into her hair as her pulse rushed in her ears.

“Byleth, it’s okay. You need to calm down.” Hubert gently pulled her hands from her hair, holding them firmly in his own. Had his hands always been this warm? “Frey is just fine, Ferdinand and I cared for him personally while you were away. He is in the stables as we speak, and you can visit him once we are done here.” Byleth held his hands tighter, her rush of fear subsiding. He smiled down warmly at her; she truly was predictable. She held his hands slightly longer than she needed to, relishing the closeness between them as a blush once again rose to her cheeks at their situation. 

“You should gather your things, we are moving you into the Archbishop’s quarters. Edelgard’s orders.”

It was not the first time she had taken up residence there, and she doubted it would be the last. She did not mind the room, though she knew all too well how lonely it could be. Her thoughts once again danced to the past, to memories of sleepless nights and deep conversations by the fireplace, warm and comforting baths, and late mornings cuddled up in bed. She nodded to Hubert, gathering up her few belongings into two old leather bags, taking care to grab Frey’s tack off her wall. Hubert, of course, took the larger bag of the two, and they headed out once again in comfortable silence.

“Will you remain in your old quarters?” Byleth asked, earning a slight chuckle out of Hubert.

“No, I have been moved into the advisor’s quarters, once again at Edelgard’s request.” he said, shifting the back on his back as they climbed the first flight of stairs. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the walls, thankfully muffling Byleth’s pounding heart. She was once again drawn into her memories, this time of sipping tea and the rustling of paperwork as the sun dipped low in the sky. Byleth shook herself back to reality as they approached the heavy wooden door to the Archbishop’s quarters. Hubert once again opened the door for her and inspected the space before she was allowed to enter. She smirked at his apparent lack of knowledge of the powerful wards placed on the room. They set her things on the couch by the fireplace, and she was quickly ready to go again, wanting more than anything to go see Frey. Upon seeing her excitement as she stood by the door, practically vibrating with anticipation, Hubert’s eyes softened and a blush of his own started to creep onto his cheeks. He linked their arms once again as she practically took off running towards the stables. She really was so predictable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thanks for reading!
> 
> The tags and ships in this fic will be updated as I go, I've already got a few characters in mind but I can incorporate more along the way. If there's a ship you'd like me to add, please let me know in the comments!
> 
> This concept was partially inspired by Lover Reincarnated by glowingbadger, if you have not read this fic I highly recommend it!
> 
> I am also looking for a beta reader or two, if you're interested please leave me a comment and I'll be in touch!
> 
> ps: yes I made Byleth a Wyvern Lord, it's one of my favorite Byleth builds and if you haven't tried it yet I can't praise it enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Byleth closed her eyes and laid on Frey’s back with a sigh, the steady beating of his wings and the smell of the cool evening air bringing a wash of calm over her. She knew who was going to be waiting for her army at the Great Bridge, and memories of archery practice and the smell of leather saddles caused a pang in her heart. She opened her eyes to stare up at the darkening sky as the army marched below her. She knew she really shouldn’t be lounging about like this, but the weight of her heart was almost too much to bear. Frey noticed her distress and rumbled softly at her. She patted his side with a smile; he always knew just what to say when she was feeling like this.

It was four or five lifetimes ago that she first made the decision to become a wyvern rider at Seteth’s suggestion. She remembered him teaching her the basics of how to fly, chuckling to herself at the thought of how foolish and uncoordinated she must have looked to him. Byleth had even sought out help from Manuela, though Manuela hadn’t been all that helpful at teaching her how to handle a wyvern due to her specialty in riding a pegasus. Byleth thought of the time she had trained a small, elite force of her most beloved students as wyvern riders and the sheer talent that specific team had possessed. She glanced down at Ferdinand perched atop his horse on the ground below, reminded of his brilliant smile the first time they had flown together. She once again felt the pull of memories, but quickly shook it off as Edelgard ordered that camp be built for the night.

Frey spiraled down from the sky, landing next to Ferdinand with a mighty flap of his wings, blowing Ferdinand’s orange locks right into his face. Byleth chuckled and quickly dismounted, moving to Ferdinand’s side to help him wrangle his hair.

“Professor, if I did not know better I would say you did that on purpose.” Ferdinand chided.

“So what if I did?” Byleth noticed the blush rising to his face as she tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. Ferdinand quickly turned away to hide it, but she knew what she had done. Hubert cleared his throat from behind her, and she silently cursed herself for showing affection.

“Professor, Edelgard would like to discuss some tactics with you.” Hubert said dryly, barely hiding the acid in his tone.

“Of course, I’ll be right there.” Byleth turned to lead Frey to the woods, clenching her fists in embarrassment and anger. She sighed deeply, pressing her forehead into Frey’s neck. Frey purred gently in response, pushing his head against her side. She removed his tack, collecting it to be cleaned later tonight. He rumbled at her warmly, slowly blinking his golden eyes at her before she turned to head to her tent. She nodded and gave small smiles to the soldiers that greeted her as she passed, and was pleased to find her tent already assembled for her, with Ferdinand and Hubert’s tents on either side. She chuckled to herself at the thought of Hubert’s grumbling over Ferdinand’s tent being next to hers as she stepped inside the tent. She placed Frey’s tack on the ground next to her bedroll and removed the more bulky pieces of her armor, breathing a sigh of relief at the freedom. If there was one thing she missed about her Enlightened One armor, it was how lightweight and breathable it was. Though, she did not miss the massive neck piece that always slightly blocked her side view.

She was greeted by the cool night air and the crackling of torches being lit as she stepped out of her tent. She took a deep breath, letting the refreshing air fill her lungs before she headed towards Edelgard’s large tent. She listened in to the hushed conversations about a nearby stream between the soldiers she passed and made a note to seek it out herself after she was done meeting with Edelgard. She gave a nod to the guards at the tent entrance, and they pulled back the flap for her so she could enter.

“My Teacher, thank you for joining us.” cooed Edelgard from her seat by the strategy table, piled high with maps and letters of intel. Edelgard’s long white hair hung gently around her shoulders, framing her face as it was illuminated by the candlelight. Hubert sat beside her stiffly, arms defensively crossed over his chest. “We have received word of the generals stationed at the bridge; Ignatz Victor and Judith von Daphnel.”

“I do not believe Ignatz will be much trouble, but Judith’s reputation is significant.” Hubert said, a hint of strain in his voice.

“Do we know if there are any reinforcements nearby?” Byleth asked, though she already knew the answer.

“Yes, we have reason to believe they will be supported by Lord Acheron, and we suspect Leonie Pinelli will also make an appearance.” Hubert leaned forward, pointing to two locations on the map of the bridge. “Acheron will likely attack from here, and Leonie from here. We must be prepared to take them down quickly to ensure Judith does not escape.”

“Taking down Judith will be a deep blow to the Alliance, especially Claude. She must fall here, there is no other option.” Edelgard said firmly. “I will station Ferdinand, Bernadetta, and Petra away from the main body of the army to intercept the reinforcements.” Byleth opened her mouth to protest, but was quickly cut off.

“We need you here to face Judith and Ignatz. I trust our comrades to rout the enemy swiftly and cleanly.” Hubert said coldly, his icy gaze halting any further protests from Byleth. She nodded solemnly, she knew that Leonie and Acheron were no match for any one of her students.

“I approve of these plans. We will not lose. If there is nothing further to discuss, I am going to the river for a while before turning in for the night.” Byleth said, turning to leave before waiting for Edelgard to dismiss her. She was quickly stopped by Hubert’s hand on her arm.

“It is not safe to be out there alone. I will accompany you to the river and back to your quarters.” Hubert said, more of an order than a suggestion. Edelgard nodded her approval of the plans, no doubt wanting some time to herself after a long day’s march.

“Suit yourself. Sleep well, Edelgard.” Byleth said with all the warmth she could muster, quickly ducking out of the tent before anything else could delay her. She and Hubert walked towards the treeline in silence, she could tell he was still thinking about her earlier interaction with Ferdinand. She tried to form an explanation in her mind, but feared she would only push him away further. 

As they neared the stream, the sound of splashing and laughter piqued their interests. Byleth signaled Hubert to lay low as they crept closer to the stream, her curiosity pulling her closer. They ducked behind some bushes near the stream bank, still unable to see who was causing such a commotion. Two piles of suspiciously familiar clothing lay on a nearby rock, and before Byleth could be drawn deeper into her mind she heard the telltale squeal of her purple-haired archer. Hubert shook his head beside her, and craned his neck to see who was in the stream with Bernadetta. A shock of bright blue hair charged into their view, and Hubert quickly averted his eyes with a grumble. Caspar had Bernadetta thrown over his shoulder as she pounded on his back playfully, a gigantic smile on her face as he dunked her into the water with a loud laugh.

“Perhaps we should come back later.” Hubert whispered in Byleth’s ear, his warm breath tickling her neck. She nodded in agreement, and they turned quickly to leave the two lovers to continue playing in the stream in peace. This was not the first time Byleth had seen Caspar and Bernadetta drawn to each other, so she was not surprised to see it now. She had noticed the way Caspar always placed himself within reach of Bernadetta in battle so that he could leap in to protect her at a moment’s notice, and she knew Bernadetta always had her watchful eyes on Caspar. She turned to look at Hubert, who was deep in thought. Apparently he had not noticed the things that Byleth had, but she knew that was because he was too busy with his own watchful eyes.

“Professor! Hubie!” Dorothea called sweetly, beckoning them over to her. “Have you seen Bernie and Caspar? I’ve been looking everywhere for them!”

“Oh, yes they’re-”

“Busy.” Byleth cut Hubert off quickly. “Doing some scouting. They’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”

Dorothea furrowed her brow for a moment, but quickly shrugged it off as the soldiers around a nearby campfire called her back to them. Hubert still looked startled and a bit lost in his thoughts, and Byleth chuckled to herself as she pulled him to keep walking towards their tents.

“I’m sorry for cutting you off, but that is not our secret to tell. I trust that Bernadetta and Caspar will reveal themselves in time.” Byleth said quietly, brushing his hand with her own. He nodded in understanding, sighing quietly to himself.

“This is… unexpected.” Hubert said, just loud enough for her to hear. Their hands brushed again, sending a small jolt of electricity into Byleth’s heart. She willed her rising blush away. “I never even considered this possibility. For now we will keep this between us. But should their affection come in the way of their service…”

“Hubert, I trust them. They will not fail us just as they will not fail each other. I am happy for them. Aren’t you?”

“To find love in the midst of war is a gift. Let us hope they will not be blinded by it.” They continued to walk in silence, the laughter and chatter of their army around them. Byleth stifled a yawn as they neared their tents.

“Well Hubert, I think I had best retire for the night. I still have work to do before I can rest, and I’m sure you do as well.” she said, turning to face him as they lingered outside her tent. She could hear Ferdinand inside his own tent sharpening his weapons for tomorrow.

“Yes, of course. Goodnight, Byleth. If you need anything further you know where to find me.” He bowed to her curtly, and she nodded in return before stepping inside her tent. She sighed deeply once she was inside, the weight of the day finally lifting off her shoulders. She lit some candles with a quick fire spell and set to work oiling Frey’s leather tack. It was not long before she heard footsteps outside, and she quickly silenced herself, suddenly uneasy at this new unknown presence.

“Professor, are you awake? Can I come in?” a voice said sleepily.

“You may enter.” she said, getting back to working the leather. The tent flap was pushed aside by a delicate hand, and locks of emerald green hair poked into her tent. “Linhardt, welcome. What can I do for you?”

“Oh nothing, just looking for some company. Mind if I join you for a while?” he asked, smiling at her warmly. She nodded happily, and gestured for him to sit beside her. No matter how many lives she lived, Linhardt was always a source of comfort for her. He was always her confidant and sounding board for ideas, and he had even proved to be quite the strategist in a few battles long lost to time.

“How are you feeling? I know it must have been tiring for you to walk the whole day today.”

“It wasn’t so bad. Just between us, I spent most of my time in the supply wagon. Not the best naps I’ve had, but still naps nonetheless.” he said with a smirk, laying down on top of her bedroll.

“If you want on our next march I could let you ride Frey for a while. He will take care of you as you nap. Just make sure not to fall off in your sleep.” They both chuckled lightly at the thought of it, warmth filling Byleth’s chest. A comfortable silence hung between them as Byleth continued to work on her gear, and Linhardt took to examining a piece of her armor.

“Don’t you think the wings are a bit...much?” he asked, running a long finger along the top of one of the wings on her shoulder pauldron.

“Yes, but it is the traditional armor for wyvern riders. Not even I can change that.” she stated dryly.

“I will never understand how you all wear such heavy armor. I couldn’t bear the weight of it for even a few minutes.”

“Well we can’t all wear long flowy robes, can we?” she chided, earning a small laugh of agreement from him. She moved on to cleaning some dirt out of her armor. Ferdinand had insisted that he clean it himself before they left for this mission, and she had to admit he did a very good job. Before long, Linhardt’s breaths started to slow as he fell asleep beside her. She couldn’t remember how many times this situation had occurred over the years; Linhardt falling asleep in her bed as she worked quietly beside him. This feeling of comfort and familiarity was everything she needed as she traversed these new waters. 

She was sad to wake him up and send him back to his tent, but she needed to sleep herself. He waved goodbye groggily as he departed, and she was once again left alone with only the sound of crackling fire and the glide of a whetstone along a blade to comfort her. She tucked into her bedroll which smelled deeply of Linhardt; old books, warm linen, and the slightest tinge of smoke. She drifted off to sleep and found herself awash in memories of stolen kisses in the back corner of the library and long naps in the warmth of the sun, wrapped in the embrace of her beloved sleepy mage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello and thanks for reading!
> 
> from this point on, this fic will be moving to weekly updates every thursday!
> 
> I am still looking for beta readers, leave a comment if you're interested!
> 
> much, much love to everyone who left kudos, you folks mean the world to me :)
> 
> see you all next thursday, thanks again for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

The Imperial Army stood at uneasy attention, the Great Bridge's imposing walls looming in the background.

“We’ll be capturing the Great Bridge of Myrddin, a key strategic location of the Leicester Alliance. Claude will surely be sending reinforcements, so we must prevail before they arrive.” Edelgard said firmly. The army murmured in agreement.

“Our opponent is Judith, the so-called Hero of Daphnel. We can handle her. So long as we don't get careless.” Hubert addressed the army, but his eyes were focused only on Byleth. She nodded at him in support and understanding before quickly turning to mount Frey. He quickly took to the skies along with her battalion of wyvern riders; another souvenir from a past life. She looked down to Edelgard on the ground below, awaiting her signal to begin the attack. To her left she could see Petra, Ferdinand, and Bernadetta ready to intercept the reinforcements. Byleth knew Bernadetta must be uneasy with her distance from Caspar, but changing their troop formation would have caused more confusion and chaos than it was worth. Frey grumbled beneath her, bringing her attention back to the battle around her.

“Forward, now! For the Empire!” Edelgard shouted, charging towards the first wave of soldiers. A fierce battle cry erupted from the army below as they followed their leader into battle. Byleth let out a cry of her own and dove down to spear a grappler charging Hubert, driving her lance deep into his chest. She said a silent prayer for him as he collapsed on the ground, where Hubert finished him off with a burst of magic. Byleth continued her assault forward, mowing down enemy after enemy with well-placed swings of her lance. As she dove down to spear an Alliance archer, an arrow whizzed towards her from out of nowhere. Frey quickly pulled up, and Byleth screamed as the arrow sunk deep into his belly, his cries of pain and the rushing of her pulse filling her ears.

Time shattered around her. She grabbed hold of the strings of time and pulled with all her might. 

  
  


In an instant she was back in the air, about to dive down towards the Alliance archer. She paused, looking down the stronghold to see none other than Ignatz, arrow notched in his bow. This time she was ready for him. She began her dive towards the Alliance archer, impaling him on the end of her spear. Like clockwork, she saw an arrow flying towards her. She quickly pulled Frey to dodge to the right behind a wall. Frey landed on the ground heavily, stumbling from the quick dodge. Caspar sprinted to them, concern in his eyes.

“Professor, are you alright? That was a close one, even for you!”

“Yes, I’m fine. It was Ignatz. We have to lure him out here, he’s too well protected in the stronghold.”

“You got it!” Caspar said, quickly leaping out from behind the wall. He waved an arm at Ignatz with a massive grin before quickly jumping back behind the wall as four arrows zipped by in rapid succession. “I think that got his attention!”

“You go help everyone else with Judith. I’ll handle Ignatz from here.” she commanded. Caspar saluted her with a goofy grin before charging off to the rest of the army. Byleth heard footsteps approaching, and she knew it was Ignatz. He paused on the other side of the wall and she could hear him take a steadying breath.

“We can't place the future of Fódlan in Edelgard's hands. If you're allied with the Empire, I have no choice but to fight you.” Ignatz called out, his steady and firm voice sending a pain into her heart that shook her to her core. 

Did she really have the strength to do this? To kill someone she loved so dearly? She thought back to her lifetimes spent leading the Golden Deer house; the time she spent with Ignatz. He was always so steady, even in the face of danger and near-certain death. He had saved her life too many times to count, and she had turned back the hands of time to save his just as many times. She thought back to the many happy meals they had shared with their allies, the celebrations of victory in battle, and the mourning of losses of their allies. She knew what his future could hold. He could leave the life of a soldier behind and become a painter like he had always dreamed of. He could create artwork that would set the standard for generations to come. He had even painted her a few times, and she had displayed the artwork proudly despite his embarrassment. She closed her eyes, the flow of time stalling around her as she became lost in her memories.

_ "Professor, I have a favor to ask." _

_ "I'm painting a portrait right now. When it's finished, I'd like to give the piece to you. Would you take it?" _

_ "Perhaps it can bring you a little happiness. That will have made the effort well worth it." _

_ "Oh, excellent! Is that a promise? Because I'm really going to put my heart in it." _

She paused for a moment, remembering the joy in his smile. The world would be a darker place without the light from his smile.

But this was the path she chose, and she could not change it now. One by one, she would have to strike down her students and bear the guilt of knowing their beautiful futures were stolen by her hand. A tear slipped from her cheek and fell on the stone ground. She braced herself, knowing she needed to be strong. Ignatz was about to leave this world behind, and she needed to be there for him as his light faded away. 

Time began again around her, and she gripped her lance tighter as she heard Ignatz bounce on the balls of his feet a few times. She heard him begin to move around the corner, and she readied her lance to meet him. His eyes widened in fear as he stepped around the corner, bow in hand. Frey roared loudly, startling him and setting him off balance. This was it. She clenched her teeth and stabbed her lance forward, sticking him between his ribs. He looked down at the lance protruding from his chest, the color quickly draining from his face as deep crimson stained his green robes. Byleth pulled her lance from him as he dropped his weapon, collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. She leaped from Frey’s back, kneeling down to support him on her knees.

"Ungh... I should have known this would happen..." He winced, hands clasped tight around his wound. Tears welled up in his tawny eyes as he looked up at Byleth, sobbing her apologies for what she had done. She bent down and pressed her forehead to his as they both cried, alone despite the battle raging around them. She pulled back, taking his face in her hands as she looked into his fading eyes. He smiled at her softly, his gaze focused off to a world only he could see.

“I love you. I love you. I love you.” she repeated softly like a mantra as he slipped away from her. She did not know how long she stayed there, cradling his body and weeping. She did not care. Her mind swam with memories of Ignatz, and she could not pull herself out of it. When cheers of victory were at last heard off in the distance, Frey began to grumble gently behind her, urging her back into reality. Hoofbeats approached her, echoing along the stone. She heard her name cried in panic by two voices, then footsteps ran towards her. She was suddenly wrapped in a pair of warm arms. Ferdinand. He pulled her into him, but she clung desperately to Ignatz.

“Professor, you have to let him go. It's okay. I have you now. It’s okay.” he whispered to her softly. Someone gently removed her hands from where they were clinging to Ignatz’s clothing. She turned and threw her arms around Ferdinand, sobbing into his shoulder. He rubbed her back and soothed her until her tears stopped.

“Ferdinand, what- what have I done?” she stammered, pain radiating throughout her body.

“Come professor, we need to get you out of here.” Ferdinand said, pulling her to her feet. Another set of arms gently held her steady as Ferdinand climbed onto his horse. Someone lifted her off her feet, handing her to Ferdinand gently. Ferdinand held her close as he turned his horse to head into the barracks of the bridge. As they turned, Byleth saw who else had been there. Hubert.

Hubert watched her ride away with pain in his eyes, holding tight to Frey. The sadness in his eyes made Byleth want to cry even harder, but she had no tears left to give.

Ferdinand held her tight as his horse cantered across the stone, but Byleth could not hear the hoofbeats. Her hearing had gone muffled, her eyes blurry with tears. All she could do was cling tightly to Ferdinand’s armor and try to breathe. When they slowed to a stop, Ferdinand lowered her down to another waiting pair of arms.

“I’ve got you now professor, you’re gonna be just fine.” Caspar carried her like she was weightless, and she felt the cool rush of healing magic trickle over her. She was carried for what felt like an eternity before she was finally placed onto a bed, where a cool cloth was pressed to her forehead. She wearily opened her eyes to see Caspar, Linhardt, and Dorothea staring down at her, faces knit with worry.

“Forgive me,” Byleth croaked, her voice hoarse from the crying. “Ignatz…”

“Shh, I know. It’s okay to be upset. We’re here for you, no matter what.” Dorothea reassured her warmly, adjusting the cloth on Byleth’s forehead.

“Is- is everyone okay?” Byleth stammered, trying to clear out her voice.

“A few scrapes and bruises, but yes. We’re all okay.” Dorothea said with a small smile.

“Everyone was real worried about you Professor. Nobody knew where you were at the end. It was Bernie who spotted you and…” Caspar trailed off, raising a hand to rub the back of his neck.

“I think it would be best if we gave our Professor here some time alone. Personally, I can’t wait to get out of these sweaty robes.” Linhardt sighed, glancing over Byleth once more to make sure she had no further injuries.

“Right. I’m off to find Bernie. Feel better soon, Professor!” Caspar gave her another of his cheesy salutes before bounding out the door.

“Hey, if you need anything at all just let me know. I’m here whenever you need to talk. Take it easy on yourself, okay?” Dorothea gave Byleth another warm smile, and Byleth tried her best to return it with a smile of her own. Dorothea turned to leave, but paused a moment to place her hand on Linhardt’s arm. They shared some silent conversation, brows knit with concern, before Dorothea finally left the room. Linhardt sat down quietly on the bed beside Byleth, who felt another wave of tears beginning to rise.

“I know how much your students mean to you. It’s not easy for us either, we don’t enjoy killing our old classmates. But I’m sure it’s much harder for you. When Dorothea said that we’re all here for you no matter what, she meant it. It’s hard seeing you like this. Are you sure you can go on? We don’t know how many more of our old friends we will face and…” Linhardt trailed off, thinking carefully about his next phrase. “I’ve seen many people become consumed by grief or guilt. It turns them into people they are not. I don’t want that to happen to you, Professor. We all need you, especially now. Just don’t push yourself too hard. We will be happy to see you whenever you’re ready to join us for dinner tonight.” Linhardt stood and walked to the door. Byleth already missed his presence. He paused, giving her one last sad look. “Take care, Professor.”

Byleth sighed deeply, pressing the palms of her hands to her eyes to try and stop the tears. She knew she should not be alone right now, but she was not ready to face Edelgard or Hubert after how she had broken down today. Most of the other students hadn't been especially close to Ignatz, except for one. Byleth knew she needed to go talk to Petra. She dragged herself out of the bed and looked around the room she was assigned. It no doubt had belonged to one of the commanders on the bridge, as it had both a large bed and a sitting area with a fireplace and an adjoined washroom. She took time undressing out of her armor and laying it out on the tea table in the sitting area. Linhardt was right, the wings were a bit much. She then removed the rest of her clothing and drew a bath. The water was a bit cold, but she didn’t mind. She wiped away the dirt and gore from the battle, and froze upon the realization that the dried blood under her fingernails may very well be Ignatz’s. She quickly shook the thought from her mind and made sure to clean herself thoroughly, rubbing her skin almost raw in places. When she was satisfied, she put on a light tunic and pants she found in a chest of drawers nearby. She wondered if these belonged to Judith. She quickly braided her hair to keep it out of her face, and set out to find Petra.

The guards stationed outside her room told her that Petra’s assigned quarters were on the lower floor, and so she set about trying to determine which of the identical wooden doors held Petra behind it. She stopped at each door and listened for sounds of movement inside. Linhardt had mentioned there was a large dinner gathering tonight, so she assumed most everyone would be there. Byleth had almost given up hope when she paused at the last door in the narrow hallway. If she listened very hard she could almost hear what sounded like sniffling. Petra. Byleth took a deep breath, and knocked on the wooden door. She could hear the person inside startle.

“Who is there?”

“Petra? It’s me, Byleth. Can I come in?”

There was a long pause before Petra finally murmured “Yes.” Byleth slowly opened the door to find Petra sitting in a small chair, staring blankly out of her room’s narrow window. Byleth shut the door behind her, and when Petra finally turned to face her, Byleth could tell she had been crying for quite some time.

“Can I sit with you?” Byleth asked tentatively. Petra nodded her head in agreement, and Byleth dragged over another chair to sit beside her. “I understand this is hard for you. I know how much you cared for Ignatz. If you want to talk, I am here to listen. If not, I can sit with you for as long as you need.”

“Thank you Professor. Ignatz is- was a good friend. He was always worrying about me, and he had much kindness for everyone. Now he is dead. My heart is heavy, Professor. It hurts.”

“I feel it too. Ignatz was a very good person. I wish he hadn’t gotten tangled up in this mess, but he was always there to help his friends. No matter what.”

“Yes. Ignatz was my friend for many years. He was my first friend at the academy. He even let me borrow his glasses once. He never made me feel bad because of my style of speech. Ignatz taught me much. I-I will be missing him.”

“As long as we remember him, he will never really be gone. He will live on in our memories, in the stories we tell about him.”

“I will never be forgetting his kind spirit. I had...much caring for Ignatz.” Petra wrapped her arms around her waist as a sob wracked her body. Byleth rubbed her back gently until she calmed down. “Professor, I had heard that you were with Ignatz when he...when he died. Is this the truth?”

“Yes, I was with him until the end.”

“I have regret that I was not there too. I had many things to tell Ignatz.”

“You can still tell him, his spirit will hear you. I need to go check on my wyvern. You should take as much time as you need here, but I think coming down to dinner would be good for all of us.” Byleth stood to leave, but let her hand linger on Petra’s shoulder for a while. “Feel better, Petra.”

“I will be seeing you, Professor. Thank you for your kindness”

Byleth shut the door behind her and ran down the stone hall. She only made it about halfway to the stairs before she collapsed to her knees, weeping once more. How could she have done this? She thought back to a past life where Petra and Ignatz were happily married. She remembered their wedding, how happy they looked together. She took that away from him, and from Petra as well. She quickly gathered herself as she heard footsteps approaching. She wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded solemnly to the guards as they passed. She knew she needed to get away from this place. She needed to see Frey. 

She practically sprinted down the stairs, only pausing to ask a guard if she was headed in the right direction. She found the stables relatively quickly, and paused to give Ferdinand’s horse a quick pat of thanks. She moved down the rows of horses, scanning for Frey’s familiar brown-black scales. A warm rumble sounded from the end of the stable, and she quickly walked towards the sound. Frey’s head popped up as she approached, and he eyed her happily. She quickened her pace towards him as he bobbed his head in excitement, but when she finally got close she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Ah, hello professor.”

“Hubert?”

“Yes? I was just getting Frey settled in for the night. He had quite an exciting day.” Hubert turned to her, patting Frey gently on the neck.

“Thank you for taking care of him for me." She paused, an awkward silence falling over them. "Did he behave well for you?”

“Professor, you forget that I cared for Frey while you were gone. He and I have grown admittedly close over the years. In fact, I even flew on him once.” Hubert said with a smile.

“You? Fly? But I thought you were afraid of heights?”

“Oh but I am. I never said how high we flew, now did I?” Hubert chuckled, scratching Frey under his chin and earning a purr in response.

“Now this I have to see.” Byleth chided, petting Frey’s forehead gently.

“Alas I am afraid it was a one time opportunity. I suppose you will just have to imagine it.” Hubert teased, earning a genuine smile from Byleth. Silence fell between them yet again, and all Byleth could think about was the pained look on his face as Ferdinand had carried her away. “Perhaps I should leave you two in peace. I trust I will see you at dinner later?”

“Yes, I will be there. Though I can’t promise I will stay for long.”

“Pity, though not unexpected. Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing you there.” Hubert bowed curtly and strode away before Byleth could reply. She groaned deeply and sunk to the floor, cursing herself yet again. Frey nudged his nose into her lap, huffing gently as she lazily stroked his forehead. She stared deeply into his golden eyes, silently apologizing to him for the close calls in today’s battle. He blinked slowly at her, and she knew she was forgiven. She and Frey had always shared a remarkable bond in every lifetime that passed. Even when he met her for the first time he treated her as if he had known her forever. She laughed to herself at the possibility that he was aware of her condition, and that he was stuck in a similar one himself. She had many mounts over her lifetimes, as she was determined to try and master as many classes as possible. She had ridden a great armored warhorse named Sigurd once, and rode a swift dark horse named Eira for several lifetimes, but as much as she had cared for them they could not compare to Frey. Many times she wondered what would become of Fodlan if she and Frey simply vanished to live out the rest of their lives in some foreign land. Perhaps if she ran away she wouldn’t have to pit her former students against each other on the field of battle. No, she knew it was her destiny and her curse to live this life over and over again for all eternity. To watch the light fade from her loved ones’ eyes as she alone was forced to live this hellish war on an endless repeating cycle. Frey nudged her hand roughly, forcing her out of her head. She thanked him for it once again. Byleth knew she had lingered too long here, so she gave Frey one last goodnight pat before heading out of the stables.

A beautiful sunset colored the sky brilliant shades of red, orange, and blue. Ignatz would have loved it. She stood still for a while, admiring the colors and trying to forever burn the image into her memory. Perhaps it was a bit too self-indulgent, but she mused that this beautiful sunset was Ignatz’s parting gift to her. Byleth looked up to the heavens and whispered her thanks to Ignatz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again, and thanks for reading! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, i know it's been slow going so far. i promise it picks up from here.
> 
> once again, many many thanks to all of you who left kudos and comments, you folks make it all worth it <3
> 
> if there are any relationships that aren't in the tags but you'd like me to add, please let me know in the comments!
> 
> thanks for sticking with me, see you all next thursday :)


	4. Chapter 4

Byleth awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bed. Her pulse was rushing in her ears, the adrenaline from her dream still echoing through her body. She couldn’t remember what she had dreamt of, only the terror she had felt. She couldn’t stay in this place any longer. They had been stationed at the bridge for three days now, helping to clean up the wreckage from the battle and sort through what the Alliance soldiers had left behind. Byleth helped as best as she could, but more often than not she found herself lost in memories of Leonie, Judith, and Ignatz. She was not the only one reeling from the losses, and she often wound up in the company of Petra. They did not speak of the past, and often did not speak at all, but still found comfort in the presence of the other. She knew it was almost time for the army to return to Garreg Mach, and she was thankful for it. She wanted nothing more than to distance herself from the bloodstained walls of the Great Bridge. However, she knew that leaving here would mean leaving Leonie and Ignatz behind. The mere thought of leaving them formed a pit in her stomach. 

Frustrated and uneasy, she clambered out of bed, the cool stone floor sending a jolt up through her feet. If she wasn’t awake before, she certainly was now. She dressed herself for the day, laying out her armor in preparation for their departure. She packed up all of her belongings that had become scattered around the room, placing them as neatly as she could manage into a satchel. When she was satisfied with her packing, she decided to head out for an early morning run before breakfast. She headed out of her quarters and down the stairs to the ground floor, where she was surprised to find Caspar looking like he had the same idea as her.

“Oh, hey professor!” Caspar greeted her happily, waving her over to where he was stretching.

“Good morning Caspar! Here for a morning workout?”

“You know it! Wanna join me?”

“Of course, just try to keep up!” Byleth took off at a dead sprint down the length of the bridge, she could hear Caspar’s shouts as he pursued her. She slowed her pace to allow him to catch up, and they jogged the perimeter of the bridge, enjoying the feeling of the crisp morning air and the company of a friend. They found themselves back where they started all too quickly, and Byleth knew they had to get cleaned up quickly or they would risk missing breakfast. They chatted about nothing in particular as they walked up the stairs to their quarters, and Caspar waved goodbye to her before dashing down the hall. She watched him as he quietly slipped into a room that she was fairly certain was not assigned to him, and she couldn't help shaking her head at his antics. She returned to her own chambers and quickly washed up, changing into a new set of clothes before heading down to breakfast.

Tray loaded with food in hand, she weighed her options of dining partners. She did not want to interrupt Caspar and Bernie as they barely concealed their attempts at flirting across the table. Edelgard and Ferdinand sat across from each other, no doubt discussing policies and other Empire affairs as they ate. Hubert sat at Edelgard’s side, looking fairly bored with the current topic of conversation. As much as she pitied Hubert, it was way too early to be discussing politics with Edelgard and Ferdinand. Dorothea sat at a table surrounded by soldiers from the army, each of them attempting to win over her attention. She looked happy as a clam, and Byleth didn’t want to intrude on her attention. Linhardt, of course, was nowhere to be seen. Byleth made a note to grab him a serving of food before she left, as he had quite a knack for skipping breakfast in order to get a few extra hours of sleep. She settled on the empty end of a long table, distancing herself from the soldiers at the other end. Byleth tucked into her breakfast, more than content to simply observe her students and their antics from afar. Before long she had finished eating, and retrieved a new portion of food to bring to Linhardt. She could feel Hubert’s eyes on her as she left the mess hall, but she chose to pay him no mind.

Byleth nodded to the guards as she walked to Linhardt’s quarters, tray of food in hand. Byleth thought to herself about all the times she had done this for him before, both in this life and in others. She wondered what he would do without her to bring him breakfast. Byleth knocked on Linhardt’s door loudly, waiting for his mumble of acknowledgement. When none came, she opened the door slightly and peeked inside, curious as to why he hadn’t heard her knock. She couldn’t help but chuckle at him. As the light shining through his window reflected directly onto his bed, he had thrown a pillow over his head in order to block out the sun. She let herself into his room, placing the tray of food on the desk which was strewn with papers and books he had found throughout the bridge. She wondered how late he had stayed up last night studying these texts. Byleth walked across the room to sit on the bed next to Lindhardt, who stirred slightly at her presence. In his sleep, he reached his hand out to her and she took it gently, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

Her thoughts were drawn again to the past, of mornings just like this one at the Hevring Estate. She would stroke his long green hair as he woke, and he would always greet her with a sleepy smile and groggy mutterings of her beauty. She missed those times, when the war was done and Dimitri reigned over Fodlan with a kind and steady hand. It was a peaceful life, and she cherished every minute of it. But as with all of her past lives, it had to end eventually so that she could be brought once again back to where she started. She figured that if she were to tell anyone of her situation, it would be Linhardt. He was the only one who would believe her without a second thought, and not accuse her of trickery or being disillusioned. In fact, he would likely devote himself to finding a way to free her from the endless cycle of rebirth. But did she really want that? Somewhere deep inside she knew that she found comfort in the repetition of her reincarnations.

Linhardt pulled her back to reality as he sat upright in his bed, emerald hair sticking up in every direction. Byleth chuckled, smoothing his hair back down as best as she could.

“Good morning Professor” he said with a yawn. “I suppose you’ve brought me breakfast? Or did you sneak into my room with other inten-” Byleth smacked him gently with a pillow before he could finish his sentence. He laughed softly, pushing the pillow out of his face with a warm smile. “Just breakfast then.”

“I believe we are departing before lunch, you’d best pack up whatever you can’t bear to leave behind and get ready to head back to the monastery.”

“But I don’t want to leave anything behind!” he whined, sticking out his lower lip. She laughed at his expression and stood to head towards the door.

“I’ll leave you to your packing. Enjoy your breakfast.”

“Thank you.” he called lazily after her. She shut the door gently behind her with a sigh. Something about this lifetime had her constantly stuck in the past, and she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why. Perhaps it was the dread of facing past lovers on the battlefield, or perhaps it was how little she knew about the path she was on. No matter the reason, it was getting quite annoying and she was sure someone would catch on to her distraction sooner or later. She only hoped it would be an ally instead of an enemy. 

As time crept on and she moved closer and closer to departure, the ache in her heart only grew. She knew there was something she must do before she left, no matter how hard it was. She asked a guard where they had buried the fallen, and he pointed her in the direction of a clearing on the Alliance side of the bridge. She told the soldier where she was going, in case anyone came to look for her while she was out. Her legs grew heavier with each step towards the recently disturbed land marking the graves of the Alliance soldiers. She walked along the rows of graves, wishing she knew more about those who were buried there so she could honor them more directly. She froze when she came upon three graves separated from the rest, marked with stones at the tops. 

The first was not unlike the graves of the unknown soldiers, though someone had left a white flower on top of the earth. She felt this was Judith. Byleth apologized for her actions, recalling past nights spent drinking and laughing with Judith and her men. But that was the past, and now they were enemies. 

The next grave had been visited, and smelled slightly of ale. Perhaps someone had poured a drink out for the one who was buried here. Leonie. Byleth felt tears spring again to her eyes. She wept for Leonie, and the memories of the joy they had shared when Byleth had led the Golden Deer. Byleth whispered her apologies, and promised to make sure Leonie’s horse would be well taken care of.

The last grave brought Byleth to her knees. She could tell Petra had been here, as there was a small woven leather band placed delicately atop the stone. Petra had also planted a few flowers around the headstone. Ignatz would have liked the flowers. Byleth let the tears fall silently as she stared at the heaped earth covering her friend. She did not know how long she sat there silently weeping, but the sounding of a horn from the Great Bridge signalled to her that it was time to leave. She dried her eyes and stood to leave, knowing that a piece of her heart would remain here forever. She said her final goodbye to her friends before turning and heading back solemnly to the Great Bridge.

-

Byleth breathed a sigh of relief as she crossed the threshold to her room back in Garreg Mach monastery. She shut the door firmly behind her and threw her belongings unceremoniously on the couch before flopping down firmly onto the bed. She didn’t care that she still had her armor on. She missed this bed so much. She laid there facedown for a while, breathing in the familiar scent of linen and cedar that endured lifetimes. Of all the beds she had ever slept in, this one would always be her favorite. Even the luxurious beds in the Castle in Fhirdiad were no match for this one. She definitely did not miss the beds in Almyra. She never did figure out what those cursed mattresses were filled with, but she hated them and they hated her right back. The only bed that had ever come close to the comfort of this one belonged to the Master Philanderer himself, Sylvain. Cold as it was in Gautier territory, they sure did know how to make a bed. It was always covered in the warmest down blankets and soft furs. Every time she laid down in it she never wanted to get back out. The only thing warmer than a Gautier bed was Sylvain himself. Her thoughts wandered to his calloused hands caressing her skin, his hot breath washing over hers, and the sweet sound of his laughter as he-

“Lady Byleth? Please forgive the intrusion, Her Highness requests your presence in the Cardinals Room immediately.” 

Edelgard really did have impeccable timing. Byleth stood from the bed, quickly removed her armor, and changed into her usual outfit before jogging down to the Cardinals room where the Black Eagle Strike Force sat waiting.

“We were wondering when you were gonna show up!” Caspar chided, earning a chuckle from the rest of the group.

“My apologies, I fell asleep by accident.” Byleth replied, quickly moving to take her seat.

“Very well, now that everyone is here we will begin our strategy meeting.” Edelgard stated firmly, immediately launching into her tactics for their impending march on Derdriu. Byleth was only half paying attention to the plans; she knew exactly where everyone would be stationed in the city and how best to get there. How many times had she charged into the city with Dimitri to save Claude’s neck? How many times had she and Claude wandered the streets of the Aquatic Capital arm in arm? She knew nearly every corner of the city; she knew where to get the best cakes and accessories, where to get the cheapest ale and best tavern food, where to find the most beautiful flowers, and which stores had the best painting supplies. Sadness washed over her again at the thought of leading an attacking force into a city filled with so many good memories and so many beloved friends. She knew they would be facing three very powerful warriors: Lysithea, Hilda, and Claude himself. If Byleth knew Claude well, which she most certainly did, she knew they could also bet on an appearance by Nader the Undefeated and the forces of Almyra. She knew, however, that she had to keep those specific details to herself, lest she be painted a traitor secretly working with Claude and the Alliance.

“This is our plan for now, but know that it will change as we gain more information. Any questions?” Edelgard was met with silence and shaking heads. “Very well then. Enjoy the rest of your evenings. We move out in seven days.” With a flick of her cape, Edelgard strode out of the Cardinals room before anyone could engage her further. Byleth wondered what had made Edelgard act this way, and suspected it was her own behavior on the Great Bridge and now. She knew she was going to have to talk to Edelgard about her personal struggles eventually or risk alienating and angering her further. She knew that discussion would have to come before they attacked Derdriu, and being pressed for time only made Byleth more anxious. She lingered for a few minutes more in the Cardinals room, listening to the conversations going on around her. She noticed that Hubert was eyeing her intently, as always. She wondered why he had become so focused on her after the battle at the Great Bridge. Perhaps he was waiting for her to break down again. Or perhaps he was waiting for her to snap and betray them all. She knew that trusting was not in his nature and that he preferred to keep everyone at a distance.

One by one, her students left the Cardinals room, some with plans to train and others with plans to relax. Hubert stayed behind with Byleth, looking solemnly out the windows at the courtyard below. Byleth approached to stand beside him, gazing out the window in silence.

“Forgive me Professor, but you do not seem well.” Hubert murmured, turning his sad gaze onto Byleth.

“I’m not sure what you-” she began, but Hubert quickly cut her off sternly.

“Don’t play coy with me. I know you are suffering over Ignatz’s death.” 

Byleth quickly turned away, tears stinging her eyes. “And what if I am? He was my student. I was supposed to protect him…”

“He made his choice. We all have made our own choices and now we must endure the repercussions.”

“I couldn’t save him. He didn’t deserve to die.”

“You can’t save everyone, you know this. Death is the reality of war. The reality of life. Everything comes to an end eventually, and not even you can stop it.”

“It’s not fair…”

“Life is not fair, Professor. It will do you no good to lose yourself to grieving over the dead. You must continue on for those of us who are still living.” Hubert paused, brushing his hand gently on hers. “We will face Claude in the upcoming battle. I would ask that you make sure you are prepared to face him, but frankly I don’t think any of us are ready for that. Remember this, Byleth. Just as Claude has chosen to stand and fight against us, you too must make your own decisions. I hope you will make the right one.” Hubert turned and left abruptly, leaving Byleth alone once again. More silent tears fell from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself seeking some form of comfort. The sadness began to pool within her, but the sadness quickly turned to rage.

No. She would cry no longer. She turned sharply away from the window and marched herself out of the Cardinals room. Her heels echoed louder than the rushing of her pulse as she strode towards the training grounds. She needed to let go, and she spoke better with her weapons than her words. The sun beat down warmly on her back, and she quickly tied her hair back as she walked with a thin black cord. As she started up the steps to the training grounds, she thought back to five years ago, a time that had repeated itself in this life and many lives before.

_ “Foolish. You’ll get nowhere with your hair in your face like that.” _

_ “It never bothered me when I used my sword.” _

_ “I’m not going to explain it to you. You know lances are nothing like swords.” _

_ “Well I don’t know what you expect me to do about it, I’m not cutting my hair.” _

_ “Tch. Turn around and don’t move.” _

_ “What are you-” _

_ “Shut up. I’m only doing this for you once.” _

_ “Wow Professor, somehow you’re even more beautiful with your hair back. You wear it even better than Felix! Much less broody.” _

_ “Watch it, you idiot. Now start again. No excuses this time.” _

Byleth paused at the top of the stairs, she had no recollection of climbing up here. Odd. She shook her head to clear it and quickly removed her cloak, laying it on a bench near the door. She was not surprised to find Ferdinand there, training lance in hand, focused entirely on his training routine. She watched him as he gracefully moved, swinging and thrusting his lance with deadly precision. The dust kicked up around his feet, and his wavy orange hair flowed around him with every movement. She was entranced by him, and something stirred deep in her chest as she finished the last movements of his routine, finally coming to a standstill as his chest rose and fell deeply.

“Nice routine.” Byleth called out to him. He jumped at the sound of her voice, whipping around to face her.

“Oh, Professor. You startled me.” Ferdinand said with a chuckle, sweeping his arm over his forehead.

“Care to spar?”

“Of course.” Ferdinand turned to prepare and catch his breath as Byleth stepped down onto the dirt floor, selecting her favorite training lance from the weapon rack. “It has been a while since we sparred together. I must admit I have missed it.”

“Don’t think I’m going to go easy on you, von Aegir.”

“Likewise, Professor.” They squared off from each other, each dropping into a ready stance. Byleth took a deep breath, trying to gauge which one of them would strike first. Ferdinand spun his lance in his hand once before charging her, swinging his lance at her arm full-force. Byleth quickly deflected his blow, moving to sweep his legs. He was ready for this move, however, and quickly stepped back before striking again. Byleth quickly rolled to the side to dodge, and swung an attack of her own which Ferdinand effortlessly parried. They carried on like this for some time, kicking up dust and grunting with effort, neither one landing a blow. Ferdinand and Byleth had become more evenly matched during her five year slumber, but Byleth still had a few tricks up her sleeve. Ferdinand made a jab at her left side, and she quickly turned out of the way, dropping her lance and grabbing his as she quickly dashed around his side. Ferdinand raised his arms in defeat as Byleth pulled his own lance against his neck from behind him, each of them heaving as she pressed her chest to his back. She was not done with him yet, however. Two quick hits to the knees and Ferdinand was on the ground, Byleth straddling his waist pinning him down. Sweat lined his brow as Byleth stared down at him, a smirk rising to her face.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to go easy on me.” she chided, remaining on top of him.

“I know when I have been beaten. I had hoped my training would allow me to finally surpass you, but it seems I am not quite there yet. You always manage to surprise me.” Ferdinand beamed up at her, his orange hair splayed out around him. He really was beautiful. Byleth quickly stood, realizing she had held him for a bit too long. She offered him a hand and he grasped it firmly as she pulled him up. They stood chest to chest, staring into each other's eyes deeply, each still breathing hard from the match. Or were they breathing hard because of something else? Byleth quickly stepped back, putting distance between them.

“I must admit, I thought you had me there a few times.” Byleth blurted, turning to grab her lance off the ground.

“O-oh, yes.” Ferdinand stammered, retrieving his own weapon. “Hubert and I sparred together often while you were away. You two actually fight in a similar way.”

“Really? I suppose I will have to spar with him sometime to see this for myself.”

“Yes, you should! I would love to attend if you do. There is much I can learn from your fighting styles.” An awkward silence hung between them, each not daring to look the other in the eye. Ferdinand turned to get a drink of water from his flask, and offered it to Byleth after he took a drink. She took it gladly, the cool water soothing the burning in her stomach. “Well, I think I am going to retire for the day. Will I see you for dinner tonight?”

“Of course, see you then.” Byleth waved to him as he left, her stomach turning uncomfortably. She was getting distracted. As much as she loved Ferdinand, this life was dedicated to Hubert. If only she could get her foolish heart to cooperate. Byleth put the weapons away and gathered her belongings. Perhaps a trip to the sauna would help clear her mind.

She was pleased to find Dorothea at the sauna, and the two decided to relax together. They spoke of capable comrades, tasty meals, and memories from their academy days. Byleth was glad to have Dorothea’s company, even if it was just a distraction from her inner turmoil. Their time in the sauna ended all too soon, and Dorothea left Byleth with a dinner invitation, mentioning something about a knight she was taking an interest in. Byleth laughed quietly as Dorothea strode away towards the Knights Hall like a wild cat on the prowl. Byleth was left alone yet again and walked silently back to her chambers, her mind racing with thoughts of Ferdinand and Hubert.

She passed the rest of the week in a daze, busying herself with training, studying tactics, and boosting the morale of her troops. She knew she was merely distracting herself from the battle to come, but she knew she must keep herself busy or risk losing her resolve to march on Derdriu. When the time finally came for the army to depart Garreg Mach, Byleth’s feet seemed heavier than ever, weighed down by her dread, fear, and anticipation. Frey sensed her distress as she tied her saddle bags onto his tack. He rumbled at her softly, golden eyes piercing into her soul. Byleth took a steadying breath and climbed onto his back, willing herself to stand tall for the sake of her soldiers. She knew that everyone was watching her, especially after how she had acted on the Great Bridge. Frey took to the air, and the long march to Derdriu began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey again folks! thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed this chapter. i know i'm straying a bit from the timeline, especially in this chapter, but the general flow of events and battles will adhere to the crimson flower route.
> 
> a million thanks and all my love to those of you who left comments and kudos, you folks make it all worth it!
> 
> tune in next thursday for a battle against one of my most favorite boys, its gonna be a big oof.
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you next week <3


	5. Chapter 5

The fire snapped and crackled, sending a stream of sparks into the night sky. Byleth pulled her cloak closer around herself, a chill seeping its way into her core. They were camped out somewhere deep in Daphnel territory, only two days’ march from the Alliance capital of Derdriu. Only two days away from Claude. Byleth stared blankly into the flames, trying her best to think of nothing but the color of the fire; orange, red, and yellow dancing flames. She had found herself unable to sleep as of late, instead choosing to spend her nights here by the fire or out somewhere staring at the stars. When sleep did eventually find her, it was filled with memories of her joyful days with the Golden Deer in Derdriu, her blissful times in Almyra with Claude, and of the times she had marched this very path with the Kingdom army.

_“It's been a long time, Claude. I am glad to see that you're safe.”_

_“Same. I haven't seen you since the nightmare that was Gronder. You really did come to help us... You must be a bunch of soft-hearted suckers, eh?”_

_“If you really felt that way, you would not have set up a defensive battle in the hopes that we would come. It worked out, only because we made it in time... Were you really so confident that we would answer the call?”_

_“Of course. I knew you wouldn't hesitate to put yourself second and come running to our aid.”_

These echoes of the past had plagued her with increasing frequency the closer they got to Derdriu. She was exhausted, and there was still a fierce battle yet to come.

_“Before I met you, I never imagined that it was possible for someone like you to exist. And yet, now that I know you, your presence in my life has quickly become invaluable. In fact, it's hard to imagine making my dreams come true without your help. Because of that, I can't believe for a second that our meeting was just a coincidence. That means it must have been fate.”_

_“Lately, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I wouldn't have made it this far without you. You and me, Teach. We can go anywhere. Do anything. I hope that you always walk in step with me… At least until the day comes when we can look out at the peaceful world we've built. Together.”_

“H-hey Professor.” Bernadetta said tentatively, forcing Byleth back into reality.

“Hello Bernadetta. What has you up at this hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I don’t sleep very well when I’m away from the Monastery.”

“I see, I’m the same way.”

“Really? That’s a relief. I thought I was the only one.” Bernadetta sat on the log beside Byleth, joining her in staring into the fire. A comfortable silence hung between them for a while before she spoke again, her voice shaking a bit. “Are you scared, Professor? You know, of facing Claude?”

“Yes, but probably not for the same reason as everyone else.”

“Were you and Claude friends back at the academy?”

“You could say that, yes.”

“I don’t remember him much, but then again I don’t remember anyone much. I guess that’s what happens when you spend all your time in your room, heh.”

“I’m happy you decided to come out. It’s nice to be able to talk to you like this.”

“I’m happy too. I’ve learned more here than I ever could in my room. I even met someone...special”

“I’m glad to hear it, love is a beautiful thing.”

“Yes, it is.” She paused, fidgeting her hands a bit. “Have you ever been in love before, Professor?”

“I have.”

“What happened? I-if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Time changes many things. But I’ve found that love always endures. The ones we love never really leave us, even if we can’t see them anymore. They live on in our hearts.”

“I’m sure you must miss him.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever stop.” They sat in silence for a while longer, the snapping of the fire and their quiet breaths the only noises passing between them. “We should both get some sleep. We have another long day of walking ahead of us.”

“You’re right. Thanks for talking to me, Professor. See you in the morning.” Bernadetta gave Byleth a small smile before returning to her tent. Byleth’s eyes pricked with tears once again as she stared deeper into the fire.

_“I love you. With everything I am. And the next time we see each other...it will be at the dawn of a whole new world. A peaceful, happy world.”_

Byleth drifted off into a fitful sleep, curled up on the cold ground next to the dying fire. She did not know how long she slept before a guard woke her at the first signs of morning light. She trodded wearily back to her tent before collapsing onto her bedroll and drifting into another distressing slumber.

-

“It is almost time to depart. Are you ready?” Edelgard asked, her purple eyes practically burning a hole into Byleth’s skull.

“Almost. Before we set out, there is something I must discuss with you.” Byleth said firmly, taking a seat across the strategy table. She shifted nervously, fidgeting with her hands that had become unbearably clammy.

“Oh? Well, I am happy to listen to whatever is on your mind.”

“Edelgard, I fear I am not… strong enough to face my former students in battle.”

“Hm. I know how close you were with many of them, especially the other house leaders. This is not unexpected. They were all my… friends as well. It is not easy for me to face them in battle, but it is what must be done. You know as well as I do that they will not bow to my authority. If they were people who could be swayed by my words and actions, I would stop at nothing to rally them to my side. But hearts are not so easily changed. So they must fall, no matter how painful it is for us.”

“I understand. I am sorry for how I acted at the Great Bridge, but I cannot promise this will not happen again. I only ask that Claude be left to me. I will not fail you.”

“I trust you, my teacher. I will make the necessary arrangements. I know how hard this will be for you. Hubert and I will make sure you are given privacy when you need it. It would not do well for our troops to see one of their leaders in such a state. Know that we are all here to support you.”

“Thank you Edelgard. I will prepare for the remainder of our journey.” Byleth stood, bowing to Edelgard before she turned to leave.

“One more thing, Professor. Know that Claude will do everything in his power to make you spare him. You know this cannot occur.” Byleth nodded at Edelgard firmly, her chest tight. She turned quickly and stepped out of the tent, head swimming with thoughts and worries. While she felt relief at Edelgard’s understanding, she knew now that there was no chance she would be able to save Claude. 

The Empire army had set up camp nearby Derdriu, and tomorrow they would commence their attack. The tension was palpable as Byleth walked through their camp; soldiers sharpened their weapons and cleaned their armor in preparation for the coming battle. Byleth returned to her tent to retrieve her weapons and armor to do some maintenance of her own. She collected her belongings and her two-toned whetstone and settled down on a log by the fire to start her work. She lost herself in the rhythm of her strokes down the blade of her lance, sharpening it to a deadly edge. As she worked, images flashed to her mind of Ignatz, and the empty look on his face as he stared into the unknown. Her mind also danced to memories of Hubert from past lives, and the sounds he made when she struck a fatal blow. She felt sick to her stomach.

“Hello Professor. Mind if I join you?” Linhardt approached her, book in hand. She nodded, gesturing for him to sit beside her.

“It feels like you always show up when I’m working on my equipment, but never offer any help.”

“Come now Professor, I’m no good at that sort of thing. You wouldn’t want my help anyways. I’m only here for entertainment.”

“Entertainment, huh?”

“Of course! Would you like to hear about the book I’m reading? It’s a diary of an old general of the Great Bridge. It’s not very informational, but I must say this general had quite an interesting life.”

“Perhaps another time.”

“Hm. Your loss, I suppose. Are you feeling alright? You’re looking paler than usual.”

“Just nervous about the battle.”

“I feel the same. I’m not looking forward to facing Lysithea.”

“Were you two close?”

“Not particularly, but we spoke a few times here and there. I actually wanted to conduct a bit of research on her, but she wouldn’t allow it. She is quite fascinating, you know. I can’t help but wonder why it is she and Edelgard have the same hair color. I don’t believe it is a mere coincidence.”

“Oh, now that you mention it…” If only he knew, she thought to herself.

“Right? Isn’t it odd? But I guess we’ll never know. That’s how it always goes. Too many questions and not nearly enough answers.”

“I wish there was another way…”

“We all do. I’m worried about Ferdinand. I know he and Hilda were pretty close back at the academy.”

“Ferdinand and Hilda, hm? I suppose never noticed.” Byleth thought back to a past life, remembering the beautiful trinkets Ferdinand would make for Hilda, and the way she would proudly show off her husband’s creations to all the rest of the Deer. It was the same lifetime that Linhardt and Lysithea had grown close; he managed to find a way to prolong her life and they had fallen happily in love. Byleth never met their children, but she remembered how Lysithea would gush about them in her letters. Apparently their eldest son was the spitting image of Linhardt.

“Are you going to be okay, Professor?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I’m here for you either way. I can always tell you about the books I’m reading if you need a distraction.”

“Thank you Linhardt. I hope I can maintain my composure better here than I did at the Great Bridge.”

“I know you were closer with Claude than you were with Ignatz. I wouldn’t criticize you for taking this… loss a bit harder.”

“It’s not your criticism that I’m worried about.”

“Ah, you’re worried about Edelgard. She has more trust in you than you realize, she just doesn’t like to show it. Don’t worry about it too much, I know I’m not the only one who would defend you. Though that would definitely be a lot of work.” Linhardt yawned loudly, stretching his arms above his head. “You’d owe me for sure.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Byleth said with a chuckle, pausing for a moment to stare at the fading sky.

“Sure is beautiful here. I was thinking I might like to visit Derdriu one day once all this is over. I’m sure there’s plenty of exciting secrets just waiting to be found.”

“Maybe we should take a vacation here one day.” Byleth thought of a vacation she had taken to the Aquatic Capital with Sylvain in a past life. “I know a few good places we should visit.”

“Have you been to Derdriu before?”

“Yes, during my time as a mercenary with my father.” Not a total lie, but not entirely the truth either. “I have many good memories from the city.”

“It’s a shame, really. Such a beautiful city. Well, I’m off to bed. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.” Linhardt stood from the log, stretching his arms over his head.

“Sweet dreams, Linhardt.”

“Same to you, Professor.” Byleth waved gently at Linhardt as he shuffled off into the night, yawning loudly.

The night had grown dark around them as they spoke, and Byleth knew she must force herself to get some sleep. She gathered her equipment and returned to her all too-silent tent. Once again she had been placed between Ferdinand and Hubert. This both brought her comfort and put her even more on edge. As she tucked into her bedroll she could only think of Ferdinand and how he must be feeling. She could hear him tossing and turning in his tent, no doubt over having to face Hilda in battle tomorrow. She tried to listen for any sounds coming from Hubert’s tent, but had no such luck. She wondered if he was even in his tent, or if he was still discussing tactics with Edelgard. Byleth rolled onto her back, staring intently at the cloth lining of her tent. She decided to use an old trick her father had taught her back when she was a child. She closed her eyes tightly and counted her deep, slow breaths. She was asleep before she hit seven.

_“Even if you're not aware of it, I'm sure there's something your heart of hearts wishes for. No one is ever completely satisfied. Everyone has something they long for. Otherwise, what's the point of it all? Of course, same goes for me. Without even realizing it, I found myself holding tight to some pretty big ambitions. If you would... I would love for you to share in those ambitions with me, Teach.”_

\- 

“If we take over the port and close the entry to the city, Derdriu will be under our control. Each soldier should bear that in mind as they advance.” Edelgard commanded, axe slung over her shoulder as she addressed her army.

“There are three gates which connect Derdriu to its naval port. Taking the city will be easy once we secure all three.” Hubert said firmly. Ferdinand took a deep breath as he stood beside Byleth; she could tell he was becoming more anxious the closer they got to battle. She looked down at his hands and found that they were shaking as he tensely clutched the fabric of his shirt. She interlaced her fingers into his and gave his hand a squeeze. A silent tear ran down his cheek.

“Battle positions! Hold for my signal.” Edelgard turned to face the city with a flourish, falling into her battle stance. Byleth gave Ferdinand’s hand one last squeeze before they both climbed aboard their mounts. Frey took to the air with a great flap of his wings, rumbling beneath her. Byleth scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of Almyran ships. She thought she saw something in the distance that looked like the mast of a ship, but she blinked again and it vanished. Perhaps it was just a trick of the eye. Within the city, Byleth saw a flash of stark white hair mixed in among the soldiers in yellow. She took a steadying breath and tried to clear her mind, but all she could think of was sweet cakes and the sound of Lysithea’s laughter.

“For victory! For the Empire!” Edelgard roared, charging ahead towards the first wave of soldiers. The battle cry of the Imperial Army echoed through the air, and was met with a similar cry from the Alliance forces. Byleth chose to stay back as much as she could, she knew she was in for a fierce fight of her own once she finally cornered Claude. She circled above the battle, occasionally swooping in to cut down hidden soldiers as they emerged from the back streets of Derdriu. Byleth found herself drawn in by a sickening sight. Hubert and Lysithea were locked in intense combat, each one effortlessly parrying the magic attacks of the other. Hubert took careful aim, firing a Miasma spell that crashed into Lysithea’s right arm. Lysithea staggered and winced in pain, trying to summon another spell with her remaining good arm. But it was no use, as Edelgard charged her from the side, sinking her axe deep into Lysithea’s chest. Lysithea cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, the color draining from her face as a deep crimson leaked onto her purple robes. She started to fall backwards, but Linhardt appeared seemingly out of thin air to catch her as she fell. He laid her down gently, cradling her torso in his arms as the army charged around them. Hubert approached Linhardt and placed a hand on his shaking back as Linhardt wept over Lysithea’s body. Byleth clenched her teeth and turned away towards the sea, unable to look any longer. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

“That flag and banner... Is that the Almyran army? Ugh, you really did it, Claude!” Edelgard called out in frustration.

“This is no ruse. That is Nader, an Almyran general.” Hubert confirmed solemnly, stepping away from Linhardt and Lysithea to gauge the incoming reinforcements.

“Take care of them quickly! Especially those Almyran wyverns!” Edelgard shouted, quickly directing a part of her forces to board the ships. Byleth flew quickly to the ship, mowing down countless wyvern riders as she flew. She wondered to herself if these were the same men who had come to her aid in their attack on Fort Merceus lifetimes ago. She made sure to stay out of Nader’s range; she knew taking him down would drain too much energy. She lingered nearby until Edelgard and her battalion arrived to take on Nader.

“The emperor continues fighting at the front line. Is the Empire short on troops?” Nader chided, clearly trying to get a rise out of Edelgard.

“Unfortunately, I can't deny it. But then, I've heard the Almyran king does the very same.” Edelgard retorted, a small smirk rising on her face. “You have traveled far. I do hope it's for a king who would not only lead his army but fight at their side.”

“Touché... Yes, he is that sort of king!” Nader called back, a wicked grin rising to his face as he readied his wyvern to charge. Edelgard was already one step ahead. Her battalion charged Nader, rattling him. Before he could recover, Edelgard charged him with a ferocious cry. One swing of her axe and it was over. “Sorry, kiddo. It seems we’ll have to withdraw.”

Just as quickly as they had arrived, the Almyran forces departed. A great cheer erupted from the Imperial Army, but Byleth still felt uneasy. She quickly turned Frey to head back into the city; two generals down, two to go. She returned to find Bernadetta and Hubert laying down a suppressing barrage on Hilda and her battalion. Byleth could see the terror and anger grow on Hilda’s face as her men were taken down one by one. Bernadetta and Hubert then set their sights firmly on Hilda, firing as many projectiles as they could muster at her. Hilda dodged each one with grace, her pink hair flowing as she moved. Byleth always loved watching Hilda fight. One of Bernadetta’s arrows grazed Hilda’s leg, putting a sizable gash on her thigh. Hilda did her best to keep dodging the attacks, but her injured leg was slowing her down. Suddenly from farther back in the Imperial forces a loud, almost pained cry sounded out. Byleth looked down to see a streak of orange hair charging Hilda at full speed. Hubert fired a well-placed spell at Hilda’s feet, throwing her off balance just as Ferdinand charged around Hubert’s flank. Hubert fired another spell in quick succession, disarming Hilda as Ferdinand closed in. Hilda threw her hands up defensively, but her hands were no match for Ferdinand’s lance, which sliced deeply across her chest. Ferdinand leaped off his horse, running to embrace Hilda as her knees gave out. Ferdinand took her into his arms, holding her close as he lowered himself down to the ground. He leaned close to her ear, whispering something to her as tears streamed down her cheeks. When her body finally went limp, Ferdinand turned his head to the sky and let out a pained cry that reverberated down the streets of Derdriu. Byleth choked back tears of her own watching Ferdinand come apart like this. She wanted so badly to comfort him, but the time had come for her to face Claude. She turned Frey towards the outcropping into the port where she knew Claude would be waiting. Her pulse rushed in her ears as Frey carried her towards the stronghold. Towards Claude. They each froze at the sight of the other, shock written on their faces. Claude looked into her eyes with a sad smile.

“Teach... You should have chosen me instead of Edelgard. No point in whining about it now, I suppose. Sorry, but I'll be taking the win today.”

Before Byleth could get any closer, Claude took aim with Failnaught, the holy bow glowing red in his hands. She carefully dodged his shots; she knew just one hit from Failnaught would spell the end of both herself and Frey. She quickly soared high into the sky above Claude, who rose up to meet her. Byleth circled above his head, remaining just out of his reach. They climbed higher into the sky, quickly disappearing into the clouds. Claude held his position, unable to see anything through the haze of the clouds. Byleth and Frey glided quietly through the air, the red glow from Failnaught acting like a homing beacon and giving away his position. Byleth signalled Frey to dive down on Claude from above, tears stinging her eyes as she readied her lance to deal the final blow. His green eyes widened in shock as she barrelled towards him. He was defenseless. Byleth thrusted her lance forward, taking deadly aim with a pained battle cry.

Time shattered around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back and thanks for reading! hope you all enjoyed this chapter, even if it is pretty oof.
> 
> all my love to those of you who left kudos and comments, i love to hear from you folks <3
> 
> any direct quote pulled from the game was found on the website fedatamine.com
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you all next friday eve :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> psa: this chapter contains smut! (told you it'd happen eventually)

A cool ocean breeze drifted in through the open window, bathing Byleth in the smell of the sea. She stirred gently from her sleep, her pale green eyes fluttering open to a magnificent view. She never would get tired of watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful as he slept; his brow no longer knitted in deep thought, his lips no longer forced into a half-hearted smile. His deep brown hair fell gently onto his face, and Byleth brushed it back behind his ear gently. He stirred at the touch, reaching out to pull her tightly to his chest. She reveled in his warmth, listening to his heart beat slowly in his chest. As she possessed no heartbeat of her own, she was always fascinated by the sound and how it changed. She placed delicate kisses along his collarbone, smiling as his pulse quickened in response. She ran her hands down his side, passing over the scars that mottled his skin. She loved his scars, as they were reminders that he had survived many battles and would continue to do so. She let her hands wander a bit lower down his body, but he grabbed her wrist tightly before her devious hands could reach their destination.

“Good morning to you too, beautiful.” Claude cooed, his voice still husky with sleep. Byleth tilted her head up to place a delicate kiss on his lips, and relished in the feeling of his body pressed so tightly to hers. She pulled back to stare deeply into his emerald eyes. She could get lost in his gaze forever. He pushed his lips to hers once again, more firmly than before. She could feel the hunger inside his kiss, and moved to deepen it. Claude pulled back abruptly with a chuckle. “If we do this now you know we’ll never get out of bed.” Byleth hummed in agreement, embracing him tightly once more before rolling to the side of the bed. Claude’s room in the Riegan estate was massive, even bigger than the archbishop’s quarters at Garreg Mach. Her heart sank slightly at the thought, she knew they didn’t have much more time here together before she must return to her duties as the leader of Fódlan and he had to return to the throne of Almyra. Byleth winced a bit as her feet hit the cold stone floor.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” she asked, wrapping a blanket around herself as she moved to gaze out the window. Claude’s bare feet padded along the floor as he walked to stand beside her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

“Marianne and Raphael have requested that we visit their tavern tonight. Oh, and I believe Hilda and Lorenz wanted to meet with you to discuss opening another of their artisan academies in Enbarr, if it pleases Your Grace.” he joked, earning an elbow to the ribs in return.

“Hmm, I can think of one thing that would please Her Grace right now…” Byleth cooed seductively, turning to wrap her arms around Claude’s neck as her blanket fell away. Claude kissed her deeply, pulling her tighter to him.

“Come on By, you know if we start that we’ll be in here all day. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to endure another of Lorenz’s lectures on the ‘duties of a leader’.” Claude chuckled. His Lorenz impression was really getting good.

“You’re right. I guess we’ll just have to pick this back up later.” she purred, drawing him in for another heated kiss.

-

“Ah, Your Grace! It is so good to see-”

“Eeeeee! Professor!” Hilda squealed, bounding over to squeeze Byleth in a tight embrace. Lorenz let out an exasperated sigh from behind her, but he was quickly pulled into a firm hug by Claude.

“It’s so good to see you both! The monastery is so dull without you.”

“I’m sure! I don’t know how Seteth hasn’t bored you to death by now. I know I wouldn’t have made it this long.” Hilda quickly turned to embrace Claude tightly, and Byleth pulled Lorenz into a hug of her own, though Lorenz stiffly refused to hug her back.

“So, it’s my understanding that you two want to open a new artisan academy in Enbarr?” Byleth asked, motioning for the four friends to sit around a tea table.

“Yes! After the success of our academies here in Derdriu and in Fhirdiad, we thought it would be great to put one in Enbarr too!” Hilda gushed, beaming at Byleth.

“If it is alright with you, of course.” Lorenz added, moving to serve tea to his friends.

“I think that’s a great idea. Your students have already been such a great help to me in restoring the monastery to its former glory. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”

“I do not believe we ever formally thanked you for allowing our students to work on the monastery. Thanks to Your Majesty's endorsement, enrollment is higher than ever. We believe placing an academy in Enbarr would help us bring in more students from former Empire territory.”

“Come on Lorenz, you’re too formal. Lighten up a bit.” Claude chastised Lorenz, who shot him an angry look.

“Claude is right. Though my title has changed, I want you all to keep talking to me like you used to back when I was just your Professor. I am still the same person, after all.”

“Forgive me, Your Gr- Ah, Professor.” Lorenz rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, a blush rising to his cheeks.

“That’s better. Now I say we should all head down into town. There’s this little shop that has the best sweet cakes, you all have got to try them.” Claude suggested with a grin. The four friends chatted more about their latest adventures as they sipped their tea, passing the time just as they used to during their academy days. Claude continued his relentless teasing of Lorenz during their trip into town, much to Lorenz’s annoyance. Byleth and HIlda simply laughed at their antics; it really was just like old times. Claude was right about the cakes, they were delicious. The group ate as they meandered through the town, reminiscing about their previous escapades and laughing until their sides hurt. Before long it was time for them to go their separate ways, and their emotional goodbyes had everyone fighting back tears. Byleth and Claude returned to the Riegan estate to prepare for their journey south to The Winged Inn & Tavern, where Raphael had promised them a delicious and hearty dinner. They mounted their wyverns and took to the sky, soaring high above the former Alliance lands. They barely spoke as they flew, each too caught up in memories of romantic evening flights and stolen kisses on the backs of wyverns. They landed outside the tavern as the first signs of sunset began in the sky, and a familiar blue-haired woman dashed out of the stabes to meet them.

“Professor! Claude! It’s so good to see you again!” Marianne called louder than she usually spoke, much to Byleth and Claude’s surprise. Byleth chuckled to herself; perhaps that’s what being married to someone as boisterous as Raphael does to you.

“Marianne! I’ve missed you so much!” Byleth called back, sliding quickly off of her wyvern to wrap Marianne in a tight hug. Claude quickly joined them, squeezing both of them tightly to his chest. They all laughed heartily, not wanting to let go of each other just yet.

“Professor!” a loud voice bellowed. Before Byleth could look up, she was swept off her feet along with Claude and Marianne as Raphael spun them all around in a firm embrace. He set them down and they all broke apart, laughing hard enough to bring tears to their eyes.

“Raphael, I’m so happy to see you again! It’s been too long since I’ve seen you two.” Byleth chuckled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“We’ve been meaning to pay a visit to the monastery but we’ve just been so busy here…” Marianne trailed off with a look Byleth couldn’t quite place.

“My friends, it’s great to see you again. Why don’t we head inside? I don’t know about you, By, but I’m starving.” Claude chuckled, clapping Raphael on the back as they turned to head into the tavern.

“I’ll help you put the wyverns away.” Marianne said, attaching a lead to Claude’s wyvern. They led the wyverns into the stable, hitching them in the back corner where Marianne had laid out some fresh fish and cool water for them. As they left, a familiar face caught Byleth’s eye.

“Oh, hello Dorte!” Byleth cooed, petting the horse on his snout. Dorte snorted happily in response, and Marianne chuckled.

“Dorte has been so helpful lately, he works very hard helping Raphael till the fields.” Marianne patted Dorte on the neck, a beautiful warm smile on her face. She was always most at home around horses, and Byleth knew how deeply she cared for Dorte. “We’d better get inside, I’m sure Claude and Raphael are waiting for us.” Byleth nodded, linking her arm with Marianne’s as they walked to the tavern. Sure enough, Claude and Raphael had already taken a table for them, which was laid out with appetizers and mugs of ale. Marianne and Byleth sat down across from Raphael and Claude, and Byleth happily took a mug of ale and a few slices of cheese. They talked and laughed over the food and drinks, reminiscing about their adventures and mishaps during their academy days. Byleth laughed particularly hard at the memory of the time Marianne managed to get Raphael on Dorte’s back, which he promptly fell right back off of. Raphael rubbed his neck sheepishly at that, the rosy blush on his face met with a warm, loving smile from Marianne. A tavern worker brought out trays with large cuts of meat, vegetables, and freshly baked bread. Byleth swore she must have died and gone to heaven, the food was simply divine. As they ate, they discussed what they had been up to since the war ended, and Byleth noticed that Marianne had not taken a sip of her ale.

“We actually have some very exciting news to share with you. You see, we recently found out that…” Marianne trailed off, her face redder than Sylvain’s hair. Raphael reached across the table, placing his hand over hers.

“Marianne is pregnant!” he exclaimed, beaming wider than Byleth had ever seen before. Byleth clasped her hands over her mouth in shock, and Claude looked like he was about to start crying tears of joy. Byleth wrapped Marianne in a tight hug, squealing loudly despite herself.

“Oh that is such wonderful news! I’m so happy for you! How far along?” Byleth asked, fighting the urge to place a hand on Marianne’s stomach.

“It will be eighteen weeks tomorrow.” Marianne giggled sheepishly. Claude punched Raphael playfully on the shoulder before shooting Byleth a devious smile. She knew what that look meant. She rolled her eyes at him, but she had to admit she was thinking the same thing. They talked for a few hours more as the sun dipped low in the sky. When it came time for Byleth and Claude to depart, the four friends held each other tightly, none of them wanting to let go. As Byleth and Claude took to the sky, they waved tearfully back at Marianne and Raphael, who shared a warm embrace as their friends vanished off into the distance.

“Can you believe it? Marianne, pregnant!” Claude exclaimed, running a hand through his hair as they flew.

“I know, I’m so happy for them. They’ll be amazing parents. I wonder who the little one will look more like…”

“Marianne, with any luck.”

“Hey now, Raphael is handsome in his own way!”

“Ha! You’re too kind, By.”

“His sister is actually quite cute. You remember Maya, right?”

“How could I forget the time she came to visit? Ignatz practically had hearts floating out of his eyes.”

“I wonder how they’re doing. I know Raphael mentioned that they set out to be artists together.”

“Knowing Ignatz, they’re probably just fine. Maybe they even have little ones of their own.”

“You think? Maya is still pretty young…”

“That’s true, and Ignatz is a patient man. But when you really love someone these things just… happen.”

“Is that right?”

“You never know, it might just… happen to us.”

“You’re insatiable, you know that?”

“Can you blame me? All of our friends are getting married and having babies.”

“You know we both have work to do.”

“Tch. Mood killer.”

“I’m just being realistic. Unless of course you want to whisk me away to Almyra…”

“What would Fódlan do without you?”

“Seteth could lead until a new ruler was elected. I was actually thinking of asking Lorenz to join me when I return to the monastery so that I could teach him the basics.”

“Lorenz, eh? He’d be a good choice. I suppose it would be up to the people in the end. But Fódlan would be hard-pressed to find a better ruler than either of you two.”

“Besides, the whole 'Your Majesty' thing doesn’t really suit me. I’ve always been more comfortable just being Professor. But I think I could get used to being a Queen…”

“You’d be the best Queen Almyra ever had. After my mother, of course.”

“Wow, mood killer.”

“I’m just being honest! Can’t tarnish my mother’s good name. If nothing else I’m sure Nader would be happy to have you around again. He’s constantly pestering me about when you’re going to visit so he can spar with you.”

“And what about you? Would you be happy to have me around?”

“You wound me, By! Of course nobody would be happier than me if you were to join me in Almyra.”

“Perhaps I’ll consider it, then. I’ve already spoken to Seteth about the possibility of stepping down. He knows I wasn’t exactly cut out for this.”

“Come now, if there’s one thing I know about my beautiful mercenary-turned-professor-turned-archbishop-turned-leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan it’s that you can handle anything. You’re a natural-born leader, By.”

“If you say so. All I know is I’m tired of being a leader. I need time to breathe, to swing my sword again. I’m drowning in Royal Duties.”

“Well then, perhaps it’s time I stole you away and made you my Queen. If it pleases My Lady, of course.”

“Your Lady is pleased. And speaking of pleasing me…”

“Patience, By. Now who’s the insatiable one?” Byleth bit her lip as he reprimanded her, the wind blowing through his hair as their wyverns descended towards the Riegan estate. She would have been more than happy to let him take her right there in the stables, or in any corner of the estate as they scurried happily towards their quarters.

No sooner than the wooden door to their bedroom had been firmly shut did Byleth find herself pressed firmly up against it, as Claude placed needy open-mouthed kisses on every piece of exposed flesh he could find. Byleth let out a gentle sigh as his calloused hands ran over her, lifting her up to press her even more firmly against the door. Byleth wrapped her legs around his waist, running her fingers through his hair as he sucked delicate marks onto her neck, his growing need leading him to grind against her. Byleth let out a small sigh as he pressed against her, her own arousal growing desperately high. She grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged, earning a small moan from him in response. He pulled back and smirked at her devilishly before crashing his lips to hers, pulling her into a deep and breathtaking kiss.

“Hold on tight.” he whispered between deep kisses. She wrapped her arms and legs tighter around him and he carried her to the bed, continuing his unrelenting, passionate kisses. They broke apart as he set her down, chests heaving and lips swollen red. He smiled at her again as she laid on the bed below him, biting her lip seductively as she smiled back at him. His calloused hands were back on her body in an instant, making quick work of her shirt and shorts. He sighed gently at the sight of her, an intense look of love and desire in his eyes. His hands trailed along her sides, sending a shiver down her spine. He took one of her breasts in his hand, fondling it as he rubbed his growing bulge against the mattress, seeking some form of relief. Byleth reached up to him, pulling his shirt off quickly, but he caught her hands with his own before she could reach his pants. Byleth whined gently, sticking out her bottom lip at him. He winked at her before leaning down to leave a trail of kisses from her neck to her navel, the tender touches setting Byleth’s whole body on fire. Byleth grabbed his chin with her hands, pulling his head up so his lips could meet her own once again. She ran her tongue along his lip, asking permission to deepen the kiss. He gave it gladly, and their tongues danced together as their needy hands ran over every inch of the other’s flesh. Byleth moved to take off his pants again, and this time he relented with a soft chuckle. Byleth moaned gently as his erection sprang free, the tip already leaking with precum. She ran a hand along it tentatively, earning a breathy moan from Claude in response. He thrusted up into her hand, desperate for her touch. She couldn’t help but smile at the state he was in; breathless and stricken with desire for her. He moved to lay behind her, and she rubbed her ass against his hard cock. He moaned again, but quickly moved his fingers to rub firm circles on her clit. She moaned loudly at the contact, and he chuckled at her as he continued his work. He moved his fingers lower, teasing the opening of her dripping cunt.

“Mmm, By, you’re so wet.” he breathed into her ear, earning a moan in response. He dipped a finger into her core and she cried out in pleasure as he placed firm kisses on her neck. He added a second finger and she cried out again, her vision becoming blurry from the pleasure. He cursed under his breath behind her, removing his fingers from her. She whined at the loss, but he quickly lifted her leg with his hand before lining his cock up with her entrance. “Say you want it.” he purred as she writhed needily against him.

“I want it, I want your cock.” she blurted out.

“You got it.” he purred, burying his long cock deep inside her, filling her to the brim. She cried out, seeing stars as he started to move inside her. He whispered her name against her neck as he fucked her, squeezing her breast in his calloused hand.

“More, I need more.” she pleaded, earning a deep chuckle in response.

“Mmm, tell me what you need.” he cooed, slowing his pace.

“Faster, harder. Fuck me with all you’ve got.” she moaned, and he quickly pulled out. He pulled her onto her hands and knees on the bed, quickly taking his place behind her as she wiggled her ass at him with a smirk.

“Ready?” he asked, lining his dick up with her entrance once again. She nodded her head quickly, and he was inside her in an instant. “Oh fuck, By you’re so tight!” he said through gritted teeth, quickening his pace. She moaned loudly, dropping her chest to the bed as he fucked her harder. He pounded her into the mattress, each one crying out in pleasure as their need for release began to build. He continued his relentless pace, his thrusts verging on the point of pain as he fucked her. He wound his hand deep into her light green hair and began to tug on it, and Byleth moaned loudly in response. Claude’s pace started to falter, his thrusts growing more sloppy as he neared his climax. “I’m gonna-” 

“With me!” she cried out, her own climax building. He thrusted into her for all he was worth as she came hard around his dick. He spilled his seed into her, his cries of pleasure mixing with hers as they both rode out their climaxes. He pulled out slowly, each of them moaning gently before he collapsed on the bed beside her, his chest still heaving from the effort.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” he said breathlessly, moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as she cuddled up beside him.

“Not as incredible as you.” she replied, kissing him on the cheek gently. He wrapped his arms around her, humming gently as they relaxed. Byleth felt the pull of sleep as Claude’s breaths started to slow.

“I love you, By.” Claude whispered, rubbing his thumb gently on her arm.

“I love you too.” she replied, quickly drifting off to sleep.

-

“Mama! Mama look!”

“Well done, my love!” Byleth called out, beaming at her daughter. Claude laughed heartily as they watched her soar high in the sky on the back of her wyvern, her deep green hair blowing in the wind as it framed her face.

“Aliya, take him down to the trees and back. Remember, use your legs and abs to balance.”

“Got it, Papa!” Aliyah called back, turning her wyvern towards the treeline. Byleth watched her as she flew, she moved just like her father did.

“She’s a natural.” Claude said proudly, wrapping a hand around Byleth’s waist. Byleth hummed in agreement, leaning her head on his shoulder. Malik stirred slightly in her arms, and she pressed a kiss to his tiny forehead. Malik looked up at her with his brilliant blue eyes and gave her a toothless grin. Aliya flew close to them, signaling her wyvern to land. As soon as its feet were on the ground, she slid off its back and launched herself directly into Claude’s arms. He caught her with a laugh and spun her around as she giggled loudly in his arms.

“Did you see me flying, Papa? Were you watching?” Aliya asked, clinging tight to Claude’s chest.

“I did, sweetie. You were amazing! Even better than I was at your age.” Claude cooed, kissing her gently on the forehead.

“Really?” she asked, shock written plain on her face.

“Really.” He set her down, ruffling her hair with his hand. She giggled, hugging tight to his leg. She was getting tall, her head nearly reached the top of his hips. Byleth wondered where the time had gone as Malik babbled in her arms.

“Daddy, will you take me up high?” Aliya begged, giving Claude her signature pleading look. He sighed as he relented, whistling for his wyvern. The beautiful white beast was there in an instant, great wings flapping proudly as Aliya stared in wonder. Claude lifted her up into the saddle and climbed up behind her himself, winking at Byleth as he urged his wyvern high into the sky. As they flew higher and higher, Aliya’s laughter only grew louder, and Byleth couldn’t keep from laughing along. Malik babbled in her arms again, and she ran her hand gently through his soft brown baby hairs.

“One day, my little prince, you will ride a wyvern with your father and sister. You will learn how to shoot a bow from your father, and I will teach you to swing a sword. You and your sister will be the crown jewels of Almyra, and you will lead your people with kindness and dignity. One day, you’ll fall in love and have children of your own. And your father and I will be there for you every step of the way.”

“Faster, Papa!” Aliya yelled from the air. Claude aimed his wyvern into a steep nosedive towards the ground, and the echoes of their laughter as the wind whipped through their hair filled Byleth’s heart with light and love. Malik squealed in her arms and pulled gently at Byleth’s long green hair. She never wanted this moment to end.

-

Byleth stared out the window of a secluded cabin by a lake, the sound of birds calling in the distance and the slow breathing of her husband filling her ears. She was content, if only a little sad. She had watched her friends and family grow old around her, and the only signs she had to show of her age were some newly formed wrinkles around her eyes and a growing creaking in her bones. It was not fair, she thought, to be frozen in time like this. But she had been blessed with the goddess’s power in order to save her friends, and now she must face the consequences of that power. Claude coughed feebly from his place on the bed, and Byleth quickly rushed to his side. She brushed the long, white hair out of his face, and placed a tender kiss to his cheek.

“Good morning beautiful.” he croaked, his voice still husky from sleep. She smiled warmly at him, running her fingers through his hair.

“Happy birthday, my love.” She placed a gentle kiss to his lips.

“Another year older, I suppose.” he chuckled, moving to sit upright. Byleth noticed how much of a strain it was for him, and assisted where she could. She frowned sadly at his state, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“The children will be here soon. Would you like to get ready?” she asked, placing a hand on his arm. He nodded stiffly and slowly moved to place his feet on the floor. She wrapped her arms around his chest and helped to pull him to a standing position. She held him until he was steady, his heart beating loudly against her ear. She helped him put on a tunic, pants, and shoes before helping him walk to a comfortable chair by the fireplace. She fetched him some fruit and bread, which he ate slowly as he stared into the fire. His light was fading, and they both knew it. Today was his 74th birthday, but he looked as though he had lived a thousand years. The war had aged him, as had leading Almyra through its age of social reform. Byleth sat down next to him as he finished eating, and placed her hand gently on his thigh, rubbing it with her thumb. He smiled at her warmly, reaching out to cradle her face in his hand. He wrapped a feeble arm around her shoulders, and she rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes as the fire crackled in the fireplace. 

Before long, a thrum of wingbeats approached their cabin and the familiar voices of their children and grandchildren could be heard. Byleth helped Claude to stand once again, and they slowly walked onto the porch of their cabin. Three young children sprinted across the grass toward them, and Byleth and Claude patted their heads gently as the children clung to their legs.

“Mother! Father!” Aliya called, sliding down from the back of her wyvern. She strode across the clearing towards them, her long green hair blowing in the breeze. Her husband followed behind her, carrying their youngest child who bore a shock of purple hair just like his father’s. “Happy birthday, father.” Aliya embraced Claude gently, kissing him on the cheek.

“How was the journey?” Byleth asked, embracing her daughter.

“It wasn’t too bad. Didn’t I tell you that we moved into Leo’s mother’s territory?”

“It must have slipped my mind. How is old Holst holding up?”

“He is well, despite his age. Hilda sends her greetings to both of you.”

Byleth and Claude both choked back tears.

“Aliya, you beat me again!” Malik called as his white wyvern touched down. He dismounted quickly before turning to help his very pregnant wife dismount.

“No surprise there.” Aliya teased. Malik wrapped his parents in a warm embrace, his long brown hair tickling Byleth’s nose.

“Come on, Father. We have many gifts for you to open!” Malik said warmly, helping Claude to walk to their outdoor sitting area by the water.

Byleth’s heart was filled with love and a touch of sadness as she looked around at her family seated all around her. They laughed and shared warm memories of their past adventures, a smile never leaving their faces. Perhaps the biggest smile of them all was on Claude’s face as he enjoyed the presence of his family. Byleth turned her gaze to the sky; she hoped Sothis was happily looking down on her from wherever she was. She was proud, so proud, of how far she had come. She closed her eyes in the warmth of the sunlight, the sounds of the laughter of her family filling her heart with joy.

“Father, are you alright?”

  
  


Byleth opened her eyes. Time began again. With a sickening crunch, Byleth’s lance stabbed through Claude’s armor and deep into his chest. He cried out in pain, and slid off the side of his wyvern, clutching Byleth’s lance as it protruded from his chest. Byleth signaled Frey to dive down under him, but they were too late. Claude hit the ground with a thud, and deep crimson started to pool around his body as it lay on the stone. Byleth leaped off Frey before he had even touched the ground, running to kneel over Claude’s broken body as he took his last shaky breaths. His emerald eyes met hers, and a small smile crept to his face. He raised a shaky hand up to cup her face as tears fell from her eyes. She cradled his hand with her own.

“All my hopes have fallen to ash… It's all up to you now, Teach... I hope you really do make the world...better…” One last rattling breath and he was gone. Byleth laid herself over his chest and wailed. She screamed until her throat went hoarse, face pressed to Claude’s still chest.

“Byleth, it is time to go. Byleth, we have to leave.” Hubert picked her up from where she crouched over Claude’s body, and her limbs went limp. Hubert lifted her into his arms, carrying her to a soldier on a horse. The soldier held her as he galloped through the city, where other members of the Imperial army had started to collect the bodies of the dead. They rode through the city streets for what felt like an eternity before arriving at a large inn, where she was quickly handed off to another soldier. The soldier carried her inside the inn which had been turned into a makeshift infirmary. Healers worked fervently over injured Imperial soldiers who lay on bar tables and benches, groaning in pain. How horrible war was. The soldier carried her up two flights of stairs and down a hallway to an open room. He laid her down on the bed, and quickly took his leave. A healer carefully removed her armor and made quick work of Byleth’s scrapes and bruises, and left her with orders to rest and drink water. Byleth could not even speak to thank the healer or soldiers, all she could feel was crippling numbness. She laid on the bed staring at a small piece of artwork on the wall for what felt like an eternity. Every once in a while she would hear hurried footsteps run past her door, no doubt more healers tending to the wounded. 

As the light began to fade, casting her room more and more into darkness, Byleth felt a deep anxiety growing inside her. She did not want the darkness, not now. She listened intently to the noses around her. She thought she heard crying. Byleth willed herself to stand on shaky legs, shuffling towards the door. She stepped out into the hall, keeping a hand on the wall to steady herself as she walked towards the next room over. She pressed her ear to the wooden door, straining to hear whoever was inside. The sniffling continued, and Byleth turned the door handle, letting herself in without bothering to knock. Ferdinand lay on the bed, facing the wall. His orange hair was crusted with dried blood and he trembled as he cried. He looked so small. Byleth shut the door behind her, crossing the room to sit beside him on the bed. He did not turn to look at her, he merely continued to cry. Perhaps he was feeling as numb as she was. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, and he stiffened.

“Professor?” he croaked. She wanted to answer, but no sound came. She patted his shoulder in acknowledgement. Ferdinand moved closer to the wall, but did not turn away from it. She laid down beside him, pressing her back to his. They laid in silence, Ferdinand’s crying slowly coming to an end as the last light faded from the room. Byleth reached out to light a candle on the bedside table with a fire spell, but found she could not muster up the strength to cast the spell. She shifted uncomfortably, as she was now trapped in the darkness. Ferdinand noticed her discomfort and reached a hand back to interlace his fingers with hers. Byleth slowly slipped into a fitful sleep, filled with images of the Almyran prince and his gruesome death by her hand.

When she awoke in the morning, she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms, warm breath washing across her face. She dared not open her eyes in case this was another cruel fantasy. He stirred beside her, pulling her closer to his chest as he slept. Byleth peeked one eye open, and was met with the handsome face of Ferdinand von Aegir. Normally she would revel more in the sight, perhaps brush a strand of hair behind his ear or run a gentle hand along his jaw. But Byleth felt nothing. She closed her eye one more, but all she could think about was the sound of Claud’s ragged breathing and the pool of crimson framing his body. More tears stung her eyes, and she began to shake as sobs threatened to escape her throat. Ferdinand jolted awake, breathing in sharply. He pressed her even tighter to him as the tears fell from her eyes, and she buried her face in his chest. He ran a hand gently through her hair, comforting her as she cried. She cried into his chest until there were no tears left for her to shed, and he held her firmly against him, nestling his face into the crook of her shoulder. She knew he was crying as well, but she could not comfort him. She could not even move. A quiet knock sounded at the door, and it was opened before they had time to respond.

“Ferdinand, I- oh, forgive my intrusion.” Edelgard stammered, averting her eyes. Byleth and Ferdinand quickly separated from each other, each blushing bright red. “I-I brought you breakfast. I will just leave it here. We depart for the monastery shortly.” Edelgard set down the tray of food on the tea table and left the room as quickly and abruptly as she had entered. Shit. Byleth ran her hand through her tangled hair sheepishly. Hubert was definitely going to hear about this. Byleth removed the covers and quickly stood from the bed.

“Are you leaving?” Ferdinand asked, his voice small. Byleth turned to look at him as he sat upright in the bed, anxiously rubbing the blanket between his hands. He looked like a lost child, frightened and alone. Byleth had seen this look on his face before, back when he had grown old alongside Mercedes and she returned home to the Goddess before he did. Normally the thought would bring a tear to Byleth’s eyes, but she found her tears had run dry. “Professor?” Ferdinand asked again, moving to stand beside her as she lingered by the bed. She turned into him, burying her face in his chest once more. He wrapped an arm around her, resting his chin against her hair. “I understand, we cannot stay here forever.” Byleth nodded, pulling out of his embrace. Ferdinand took her hand in his own, and held onto it as long as he could before she slipped away into the hall. 

Byleth returned to her chambers and quickly donned her armor, grabbing an apple off of the plate of breakfast that had been left for her. She ate the apple as she walked quickly through the halls and down the stairs of the tavern, trying her best to avoid making eye contact with anyone she passed. As she entered the main floor, the apple quickly turned to sand in her mouth. Linhardt sat on a booth in a shaded corner, head in his hands. He had likely been up all night healing wounded soldiers with the rest of the infirmary healers. She jogged over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, dark circles under his red, puffy eyes. He had been crying, and he looked absolutely exhausted. She tried to speak, but the words simply would not come. She rubbed circles into his back gently as he sat, and he leaned his head onto her shoulder. A horn sounded twice outside the tavern, signaling that it was almost time to move out. Byleth wrapped an arm around Linhardt, helping him to stand and walk out of the tavern. The bright midday sun nearly blinded them as they stepped onto the stone streets of Derdriu, and Byleth whistled for Frey. A whistle Claude had taught her. Before long, Frey landed in front of them, and Byleth helped Linhardt to climb into the saddle. She climbed up behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist as he leaned back into her. Frey took to the air, and they fell into line with the rest of the army as they began their march back to Garreg Mach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back and thanks so so much for reading! hope you folks enjoyed reading this chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it.
> 
> a thousand thank yous to the kind souls who left kudos and comments, they make my whole week <3
> 
> tune in next friday eve for more angst and a confrontation with my most beloved dilf ;)
> 
> thanks again for reading, stay safe and stay well!!!


	7. Chapter 7

Byleth walked beside Ferdinand’s horse as Frey’s wings beat gently overhead. She could almost hear Linhardt’s snoring from here. The Imperial Army was marching home to Garreg Mach at a much faster pace than they used marching to Derdriu, cutting their trip almost in half. There was no need to conserve energy for battle this time, and everyone was anxious to return to the safety of the monastery. They marched in relative silence, save for the clanking of armor and occasional snort of a horse. Everyone was reeling from the battle, they all knew that Claude’s defeat would spell the end of the Alliance. Count Bergliez had arrived just before the army moved out to ensure a peaceful transition of power, and messengers were constantly arriving with news of noble houses from both the Alliance and Kingdom pledging loyalty to the Empire. Byleth couldn’t help but be disgusted with how quickly they switched sides when it seemed the odds were stacked against them. Of course, she knew it was all for self-preservation. She kept a lookout for letters of loyalty from the houses of her beloved Blue Lions, but none ever came, not that she was surprised. She knew houses Gautier and Fraldarius would never bend a knee to the Empire, and as long as they held out it was unlikely that houses Galatea and Gaspard would abandon the Kingdom.

“Is there something on your mind, Professor?” Dorothea asked softly, quickening her pace to walk beside Byleth.

“Nothing much. Just lost in memories.” Byleth responded flatly, picking some dirt out from under her fingernails as she walked.

“Well if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.”

“I’d actually prefer to forget.”

“Hm, I can tell you some stories from back when I was in the opera if you’d like?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

Ever the performer, Dorothea quickly had Byleth thinking only of the intricate tale she was weaving about a patron to the opera who had fallen hopelessly in love with one of the performers only to find out that the performer was the target of the affections of a famous composer. Byleth listened intently as Dorothea spoke, anxious to find out which man the performer would choose.

“What? She chose the patron? Even though the composer had done so much for her!”

“I know, but the performer had to follow her heart and find her true love.”

“I can’t believe it. You really are quite the storyteller, Dorothea.”

“Aw Professor, you make me blush.” Dorothea said with a giggle.

“So who would you have chosen?”

“Me? Definitely the patron. I like a man who can take care of me. And composers can be so fickle sometimes.”

“I would have chosen the composer. It was so romantic when he wrote the song for her! How could she ignore such an expression of love?”

“Excuse me for interrupting, but the patron did buy her nice dresses and jewels. That was also a very romantic gesture.” Ferdinand chimed in. Byleth smiled, she knew he was eavesdropping.

“Exactly! And he saved her life when that man kidnapped her!” Dorothea agreed, smiling brightly at Ferdinand.

“It was the patron who got her kidnapped in the first place, of course he went to save her!” Byleth argued.

“Hm, that is true.” Ferdinand added, placing a hand on his chin contemplatively. The three walked in silence, each deep in thought about the performer, the patron, and the composer. Before they realized it, the spires of Garreg Mach could be seen in the distance, bringing a wash of relief over everyone. They quickened their pace, anxious to be back inside the safe walls of the monastery. Byleth was more eager to be back in her bed again, she was exhausted. Hubert suddenly appeared beside them as if out of nowhere. Byleth stiffened at his presence, and he frowned at her. Did he know about what happened back at the tavern? If he knew about what happened, the fact that she was marching with Ferdinand now would likely make Hubert even more mad. Was Hubert mad at her? Was Edelgard mad at her? A thousand questions ran through her mind and she shrunk back from Hubert, afraid of what he might say to her.

“Edelgard has requested that we meet her in the Cardinals Room once we arrive back to the monastery. Please notify Linhardt and Petra.” Hubert said coldly, his face an unreadable mask. Byleth nodded in acknowledgement, refusing to meet his eyes. Hubert sighed, and vanished back into the surrounding soldiers as quickly and silently as he had appeared.

“Did you hear that, Linhardt?” Byleth called, looking up to where Frey was gliding above them. Linhardt waved a hand down at her in acknowledgement.

“I will go and find Petra.” Ferdinand stated, pulling his horse off to the side to wait for Petra.

“I wonder what Edie wants to talk to us about so soon?” Dorothea questioned, knitting her brow as she thought.

“Let’s hope she has good news.”

-

“Thank you all for joining me so quickly. I have gathered you here so we can decide our next course of action. As it stands now, we do not have the forces to attack the Kingdom capital directly. We must cut off their support from other houses before we can march on Fhirdiad.” Edelgard began, her voice stern and cold.

“The current strongholds are from houses Charon, Galatea, Gaspard, Fraldarius, and Gautier, with the latter two being the most formidable foes.” Hubert added, pointing out their locations on the map that hung behind them.

“We have several options here. We will need a majority of our forces to take down houses Fraldarius and Gautier. Once this is complete, we can divide the army to take down the remaining, smaller houses individually. We can challenge these houses in their own territories, but this will take time. Alternatively, we can march on the Kingdom stronghold in Rowe territory; Arianrhod. We have received word that the head of house Fralradius, Lord Rodrigue has occupied it. Taking him down there would cripple both house Fraldarius and the Kingdom, though we would likely have to face the remaining houses later on.” Edelgard paced back and forth as she spoke.

“If we choose to attack each house individually, we remove them from the picture for later battles, but the Kingdom will still hold Arianrhod. Additionally, we will not be able to take down Lord Rodrigue as he is not in his territory. He has likely left his son, Felix, to maintain order in the territory while Rodrigue holds Arianrhod.” Hubert added, returning to his seat. Byleth’s heart dropped into her stomach and she fought back against the pull of memories.

“Felix is a well-respected general in the Kingdom. Taking him down would still be a significant blow to the Kingdom forces. We will reconvene in two days to make a final decision. Please make sure your discussions on this matter remain secret, as always. Dismissed.” Edelgard once again left the room with a flourish, the door shutting heavily behind her. As soon as the door was shut, the room erupted with conversation. Byleth fidgeted in her seat as her students chattered around her, each one simultaneously voicing their own opinion. The cacophony was too much for her, it was driving her insane. She angrily stood up from her chair, bringing everyone’s conversations to a grinding halt. She locked eyes with Hubert.

“Spar with me.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me. Meet me in the training grounds in half an hour.” Byleth turned quickly on her heel with a flourish and quickly made her way to the training grounds, her head running a mile a minute. What was she thinking, challenging him to a duel like that? And in front of everyone? She must have sounded just like Felix, demanding that they spar so she could work out her issues. Although Felix did always insist that they were cut from the same cloth; perhaps he was right after all. She practically ran up the steps to the training ground, slamming the door behind her as she reached the top. She threw her cloak on a bench unceremoniously, sloppily fastening her hair behind her head. She grabbed a lance from the weapons rack and tossed it from hand to hand as she paced in circles around the training grounds. Now not only was she sounding like Felix, but she was acting like him too. How many times had she come to the training grounds to find him stalking around, weapon in hand, just as she was now? How many times had he challenged someone to spar in order to work his emotions out?

_ “I pledge that someday, I will surpass you.” _

_ “I'll surpass your technique, your skill with the sword, and your cunning as a warrior. Then I will make you taste defeat!” _

The doors to the training ground opened with a creak, and Hubert stepped in. He quietly removed his cloak, neatly setting it on a bench. He crossed to the weapons rack, carefully inspecting each lance before settling on one he liked. He adjusted his hair back out of his face as he stepped onto the dirt floor.

“You came.”

“Did you expect me not to?”

“I’m sorry for-”

“Are we here to chat or to spar?” Hubert said, the venom in his voice causing Byleth to wince. Hubert dropped low into a battle stance, his feet wide and his lance ready to strike. Byleth had no idea what to expect, she had spent most of her time coaching his magic instead of his lance. She dropped into a stance of her own, and Hubert smirked gently before he charged her, swinging for her arm. Byleth prepped her lance to parry his blow as he charged closer, but just as he started to swing he suddenly changed his trajectory, sweeping Byleth off her feet. She landed firmly on her ass, stunned for a moment before she started burning with anger.

“Hey!” Byleth cried out as he stepped back to circle around her. Hubert only laughed darkly as she quickly got to her feet, readying her lance to charge. She aimed for his side, swinging full-force only to have her blow swatted away as easily as if it came from a small child. She growled quietly before charging him again. He jumped quickly out of the way and she ran right past him. He laughed again as she seethed, turning to face him again. She charged him once more, kicking up dust as she ran.

“If you just keep swinging at me out of anger you will get nowhere.” Hubert said coldly, parrying her blow yet again, this time quickly swinging his lance down to catch her foot. She fell hard onto her hands and knees in the dirt, pain instantly coursing through her body from where she had hit the ground. She quickly stood again, but cried out in pain when she tried to tighten her hand around her lance. Hubert instantly dropped his guard at the sound, which gave her just the opening she needed. She charged him again, ignoring the burning pain from her hand and knees. She skidded to a stop in front of him, holding the tip of her lance to his throat. He dropped his lance and held up his hands in surrender, but she would not give. She continued to hold him there, her eyes on fire with anger. He stared her down, his chartreuse eyes softer than usual. After a few more moments of staring, Byleth finally dropped her lance and turned away from him with a huff.

“Do you feel better?” Hubert purred, venom still lacing his tone. He was met with cold silence. “I’ll take that as a no. If you don’t want to talk and you don’t want to spar then I will be on my way.” Hubert turned to gather his cloak, but Byleth grabbed his wrist gently. His heart skipped a beat.

“I’m sorry. For everything. For shutting you out lately, for being rude, for forcing you to come here and take part in this stupid duel. You’ve been nothing but kind to me and I responded with silence and anger. You don’t have to forgive me, but know that I am truly sorry.” Byleth whispered, her voice cracking. She half expected him to rip his arm away from her and storm out. Hell, that’s what he probably should do considering how she had been acting around him since she woke up from her slumber. Hubert did not reply, and Byleth felt tears welling up in her eyes. She slowly released her hold on his wrist, but her breath caught in her throat as he quickly grabbed her hand in his own. He turned back towards her, cradling her hand as if it was made of glass.

“Two of your fingers are broken. You should go see Linhardt.” Hubert said gently, the acid in his voice gone. He furrowed his brow as he looked at the state of her, dirty and bleeding from their fight. He opened his mouth to say something else, but quickly closed it again. Byleth nodded, the more than the adrenaline wore off the more her hand started to ache. Hubert dropped her hand gently, and quickly made his way out of the training grounds. Byleth wanted to collapse, but she knew she didn’t have much longer before the pain became even worse. She grabbed her cloak and hurried down the stairs of the training ground. Luckily Linhardt’s room was nearby, as she doubted she would have made it all the way to the infirmary without crying. Her feet carried her ever faster until she found herself running to Linhardt’s room. She didn’t even knock when she arrived, she simply burst right in.

“Ah! Professor!” Linhardt jumped to his feet from where he had been lounging on his bed with a book. His look quickly turned from fear to concern when he saw the state she was in. He jumped into action, helping her to sit down on his bed while he summoned a faith spell, quickly healing the cuts on her knees. Byleth winced as he took her hand in his own, turning it over to inspect it thoroughly. “I will do what I can with this, but I can’t heal it all the way. Your body will have to do the rest.” Linhardt took a deep breath and closed his eyes, placing one hand on top and one hand below her broken fingers. He furrowed his brow as he concentrated, his eyes clenched tightly shut with the effort. The deep ache in Byleth’s hand lessened somewhat as Linhardt worked. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he worked, and Byleth found herself holding her breath. His eyes opened as his features relaxed, and Byleth was able to breathe again. “Let’s go to the infirmary, I’m sure Manuela had some splints we can use to brace this while it heals.”

Byleth and Linhardt walked in silence up to the infirmary, Byleth still cradling her injured hand close to her chest. Luckily none of the soldiers they passed tried to stop them to talk, as Byleth didn’t have the patience to deal with their seemingly constant barrage of questions. Linhardt shut the door firmly behind them after they entered the infirmary, gesturing for Byleth to sit on one of the beds. Linhardt moved to search through the disorganized cabinets, pushing aside countless unlabeled bottles and boxes. Assuming Manuela even had a system for organizing her supplies, she was the only one who could understand it. Finally Linhardt found a splint in the back of a drawer and moved to fit it to Byleth’s hand. The metal boning made it impossible for Byleth to bend her first two fingers, and it attached securely to her wrist. She was going to need help putting it on and taking it off, much to her annoyance. Linhardt gave it one final inspection, and seemed satisfied with his work.

“You’re going to need to take it easy for at least two weeks. That means no sparring, no practicing, no doing anything that involves moving that hand.” Linhardt said sternly, almost as if he was scolding a child. Byleth groaned in response. “Byleth, if you injure this hand further you may never use it again, understand?”

“Yes, thank you Linhardt.” Byleth muttered. Two weeks!? What was she going to do to entertain herself if she couldn’t train or spar?

“I take it this happened when you sparred with Hubert?” Linhardt asked, an accusatory tone on his voice.

“Yeah.”

“Foolish.” he muttered under his breath. “Now you need to go lay in bed for the rest of the day. Doctor’s orders. I’ll have someone bring dinner up to you. Do I need to walk you to your room?”

“No. I’m injured, not stupid.”

“Hmm, could have fooled me.”

Byleth wanted to be mad. She wanted to scream at him and at everyone for going on like nothing had happened even though they had just killed three of their friends. How could they all move on so quickly? Did the lives of others really mean that little to them? Why was she painted as the crazy one for being upset? They were the crazy ones, not her. Byleth balled her good hand up into a fist. She was so angry she could burst. But the second she met Linhardt’s eyes she found all of her previous rage and anger was gone. A single tear rolled down his cheek, but he smiled all the same.

“I know how upset you are. I’m upset too. I know you’re thinking everyone is crazy for moving on so quickly. But Byleth, don’t you see? We’re all just hiding it. Everyone is upset. Nobody has moved on. How could we? We’re killing our friends. Lysithea died…” he paused, shuddering as he fought back more tears “Lysithea died in my arms… I will never recover from that. We’re all just fighting through the pain. I saw Edelgard after the battle in Derdriu. She was crying. Everyone was crying. We’re going to get through this, together.” Linhardt hugged Byleth tightly, and Byleth leaned into his embrace, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. He pulled back from her, placing a hand on her cheek. He beamed at her warmly as the tears still fell, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. Byleth leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes tightly. Linhardt dropped his hand from her face, wiping his tears on his sleeve as he tried to compose himself. He straightened his shirt and smoothed his hair back into place as he approached the door. He gave Byleth one last warm smile before stepping into the hall, shutting the door behind him. Byleth felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. She had been so mad, and for what? How could she have been so blind? 

She wiped away a stray tear and headed for the door, instinctively reaching for the door with her bad hand. She rolled her eyes at herself; that was going to get annoying. She opened the door with her good hand, which felt incredibly wrong somehow, and turned to head for her room. She was surprised to find the door to Seteth’s office open; she was sure it had been closed when they passed it on their way to the infirmary. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped into the office. She found no one inside and nothing out of place, but the room did have a curious lack of dust when compared to other unused rooms. She would have to come back and investigate another time. As she returned to the Archbishop’s room, she found her thoughts trailing to Seteth.

_ “You, Rhea, and I... We are like family.” _

Byleth opened the door to the Archbishop’s room, her mind clouded with images of the past.

_ “Because of those deep ties, you can be certain that I will never abandon or betray you.” _

Byleth shut the door behind her and shuffled to the bed, suddenly exhausted.

_ “On the contrary, I greatly wish to see what your future holds. I am, and will always be, your ally.” _

Byleth collapsed onto the bed, pulled into a deep slumber.

_ “After this war is over, where I go and what I do will depend wholly on you.” _

Byleth dreamed only of Seteth; their many meetings over tea and paperwork, late nights spent in his office, secret wyvern rides to the Rhodos coast, and tender kisses under the canopy of trees.

-

Byleth didn’t know how she had managed it. Two weeks had come and gone, and she had managed without sparring or training. Luckily Linhardt had made sure to keep her entertained as she rested her hand by attempting to teach her a more practical way to use her lance. Something about momentum? She didn’t really understand what he was saying, but she was eager to try it out. Linhardt worked carefully as he unfastened the splint from her hand, thoroughly inspecting each inch of it. He casted a small white magic spell, feeling for any damage that may not have healed.

“Good news, it’s healed quite nicely. But you’re not out of the woods yet. I’ve had a brace fashioned for you to wear for the next four weeks.”

“Four weeks?!” Byleth exclaimed.

“Yes, four weeks.”

“But you said two the first time!”

“Ah, no. I said two weeks with the splint. Your bones have healed, but they are still fragile. You need to wear this brace and do exercises every day to make sure there is no further damage.” Linhardt grabbed a new device off the table behind him. Byleth groaned. This device was similar to the old one in that it fastened around her wrist and fingers, though in place of solid metal boning this one had flexible metal joints and a leather sleeve for each part of her finger. “Your range of motion will still be restricted, but you should be able to hold a lance again.” Linhardt fitted the brace onto her fingers, ensuring everything was in the right place. Byleth flexed her fingers a few times, turning her hand around to get a better look at the brace. She wrinkled her nose a bit, it felt odd having her hand be restricted like this. “You can wear a glove over it if you hate the look of it so much.”

“It’s not that, but thank you Linhardt. We should get going, we’re going to be late to the war council.” Byleth said, standing to head towards the door. Linhardt followed closely behind her as they walked to the Cardinals Room. Hubert looked up as she entered, his eyes scanning over her. They had barely spoken since they sparred, save for their conversations during war councils. Byleth could tell he felt guilty about what happened to her hand, as even now he refused to look at it. She put her hand behind her back to hide the brace as she walked to take her seat at the table. Her students murmured back and forth as they waited for Edelgard to begin the meeting. Byleth found herself lost in her thoughts as Hubert stood to address the room. She knew she should have been paying attention, but her mind could focus only on a memory pulled from another life.

_ “Byleth, open your eyes!” _

_ “But we’re so high up! Ah! Seteth!” _

_ “Exactly! The view is beautiful. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.” _

_ “I’m scared…” _

_ “You have nothing to be afraid of. So long as I am here, you are safe.” _

  
  


“..And that concludes Count Bergliez's report. Just as we predicted, the old Alliance has willingly fallen under Imperial rule. However, even with Claude dead, there is no telling what manner of poison he left in his wake. We must be careful not to expose any weakness.” Hubert bowed his head slightly as Edelgard rose to continue the strategy meeting.

“The time has finally come to invade the Kingdom capital. Or so I declared. In truth, we'll be advancing to a different location. Only you all can know of our true intentions. Please bear that in mind.”

“Just as we decided, there is another location we will take before moving on to Fhirdiad. South of the capital, we will march on the Fortress City of Arianrhod, and we must take control-” Hubert was cut off as the door slammed open and a soldier burst in.

“Raid from the north! Their flag bears the symbol of the Knights of Seiros! One of our troops has already intercepted them! Your Majesty, please give us your orders!”

“From the north? Interesting... Could it be they journeyed through Ailell, the Valley of Torment? Is the archbishop among the enemy ranks? If so, focus our attacks on her first.”

“Understood!” The soldier bowed quickly before running out the door as quickly as he had come.

“Our enemy knows Garreg Mach inside and out. They can come and go as they please. It would have been best if we had detected them sooner, but that can't be helped. We must hurry and intercept them ourselves. I'll leave the preparations to you, Professor.” Edelgard said sternly, her purple eyes locking with Byleth’s, but Byleth found herself unable to hold Edelgard’s gaze.

“Heh. The battle looks to be rather cumbersome. We are still guarding all of Garreg Mach, but there are undoubtedly numerous secret passages and magic traps… There is still much about this place that we do not know. It is quite possible they will attack from a location we cannot anticipate.” Hubert added, turning to look out the windows contemplatively.

“I must head out first to give my orders. I'll meet up with you soon. Call for General Randolph and General Ladislava! Hurry!” Edelgard rushed out of the room in a flurry, already shouting to the guards in the hall. The rest of the students turned to look at Byleth, awaiting her orders.

“We will stand and fight to protect the monastery. We will be the last line of defense, stationed just outside the monastery walls. We cannot fail; we risk losing the monastery if anyone breaks our line. My friends, prepare for a bitter fight!” Byleth raised her good hand in a fist towards the sky, and her students responded with a cheer. Byleth nodded to dismiss them, and everyone hurried out of the room except for Linhardt, who moved to stand at Byleth’s side.

“Byleth, you know you’re in no state to fight. Your hand is not ready for the stress.”

“What else can I do? The Knights of Seiros are here. This may very well be our last stand. I must fight to protect the monastery and to protect my friends.”

“All I ask is that you avoid unnecessary stress to your hand. Perhaps use a spear with your good hand?” Linhardt suggested. Byleth thought about it for a moment, she would be using her non-dominant hand, but she had trained for situations like this in the past. She knew her aim would still be true. She nodded to Linhardt, which seemed to appease him. They both quickly made their way to get ready for battle. Byleth ran to her quarters, not even bothering to close the door before quickly getting changed into her armor underclothes before beginning the arduous process of strapping on her armor. She had recently received a new set of armor from Edelgard herself, and she found it much less restricting than her usual armor. Unfortunately she was not used to putting this armor on in a hurry, and found herself unable to attach the breastplate. She heard a door shut in the hallway followed by quick footsteps and the flowing of long fabric and the clanking of armor.

“Hubert!” she yelled, continuing to struggle with the armor. He was at her side in an instant, face knit with worry. “Help me get this armor on, I can’t do it on my own.” Hubert nodded, moving to help her fasten the remainder of her armor. She was truly a frightening sight, the massive spikes on her pauldrons adding to her height. The armor was intricately decorated, sleek black metal with shimmering gold accents on the edges of every piece. Her shock of green hair stood out from the black armor, and her eyes seemed to shine brighter than ever before. Edelgard sure knew how to pick out armor. Byleth could only imagine how she and Hubert must look together; each dressed head to toe in menacing black armor. She caught Hubert admiring her out of the corner of her eye. Normally she would have blushed at the intensity of his gaze, but she was too worked up about the coming battle. With a stiff nod, she and Hubert were off, sprinting through the halls of the monastery down to the stables. The stablehands had already prepared Frey for Byleth in his new black and gold tack, and beside him stood a beautiful ebony horse in black armor. She and Hubert quickly mounted their steeds, and Frey took to the air as Hubert urged his horse forward towards the field of battle. Byleth and Hubert made solemn eye contact as they raced to what could very well be their deaths. They slowed to a stop as they reached their friends; tension and anxiety weighing heavily in the air. Byleth squinted across the battlefield, hoping to get a better view of the enemy forces. Her heart sank.

“I see Shamir!” she called down to Hubert, whose face dropped. “Alois as well!” Byleth urged Frey up higher, straining to see the remainder of the forces as they emerged from the forest. “There’s someone else… It’s- Goddess, no...” Byleth’s blood ran cold. “It’s Seteth.”

“If Seteth is here Flayn cannot be far behind. Do you see her?” Hubert called back. Byleth scanned the battlefield, but saw no sign of Flayn. She urged Frey to return closer to the ground so she could discuss better with her students.

“No sign of Flayn, but I’m sure she will reveal herself in time. Caspar, Bernadetta, and Ferdinand! Take up the left flank and push through the troops there. Alois is your responsibility. Please make sure he does not suffer.” Byleth ordered. The chosen students nodded, Caspar climbing onto Bernadetta’s horse as they rode off to the left flank. “The rest of you are with me. Nobody get reckless, we cannot afford to fall here. Watch out for Shamir, she will take you down the moment you drop your guard. And leave Seteth to me. Prepare to move on my signal!” The remaining students spread out, each dropping into a battle stance. Edelgard ran from behind to fall into place between Dorothea and Hubert, readying her axe to strike. Byleth flew high into the sky and took a steadying breath, her pulse rushing in her ears almost deafening her.

“Ready, my Teacher!” Edelgard called out. Byleth looked to her other students, and each nodded to her before focusing once more on the battle ahead.

“Everyone! It’s time! Onward to victory!” Byleth yelled, letting out a war cry as she charged into battle. Her students echoed her cry as they charged forward with her, mowing down their enemies with deadly precision. Byleth watched from above, spear in hand. Edelgard sunk her axe deep into the side of an enemy archer, which Dorothea finished off with a quick fireball. Byleth hurled her spear down to impale an enemy pegasus knight that had charged them during their attack. They nodded to Byleth in thanks as the pegasus knight crashed to the ground in front of them. Hubert took down an advancing assassin with a well-placed blow and signaled to Byleth that they needed to reconvene. Arrows and magic whizzed by her as Byleth swooped low to talk to Hubert.

“Professor, the enemy's movement is suspicious. They may have some tactic in mind. Their troop composition is also strange. I would bet that they are concealing additional soldiers.” Hubert said, eyes scanning the underbrush. Byleth nodded, returning to the skies to scout more. Ferdinand, Caspar, and Bernadetta were almost done routing the left flank as they closed in on Alois. Then with a flash of light, more troops appeared around them. Byleth flew closer as Caspar took out an enemy warrior and Bernadetta took aim at a pegasus knight. Byleth took out an enemy sniper with one of her spears as Ferdinand moved to engage the last of the reinforcements. A lone figure stepped out from the underbrush, green hair blowing in the wind, and a hard-set look on her face. Flayn. Byleth gritted her teeth as Ferdinand dodged Flayn’s spells. Caspar moved to distract Flayn, who expertly avoided all of their blows while firing spells back at them. Why hadn’t she been this good when she was in Byleth’s class? Bernadetta rode around Flayn largely unnoticed as Ferdinand and Caspar kept Flayn’s attention on them. Bernadetta settled on her place and took aim. Byleth knew she would not miss. She turned away quickly, flying back towards the rest of her troops as Bernadetta loosed her arrow. Flayn’s pained cry rang out over the battlefield as the arrow found its mark. Byleth looked to Seteth, who crumbled right before her eyes.

“Flayn! Please, no! No!” Seteth screamed, devastation in his voice. Byleth grimaced. The least she could do for him now was send him home to be with his wife and daughter again. Byleth returned to the main forces as Petra’s sword sliced across Shamir’s chest, crimson red staining the cobblestone path. Byleth’s chest ached, but she pressed forward, slaying another enemy archer on the end of her spear. Edelgard and Dorothea took down the armored knights surrounding Seteth, and Hubert and Petra circled back to sweep for any stragglers. Ferdinand charged around from the side of the ballista where Alois had been stationed, a grim look on his face. Byleth took a deep breath. It was time to face Seteth. She signaled Frey to move in towards him and clenched her spear tight in her fist. Seteth’s forest green eyes locked with hers, and the pure misery in his expression made her falter.

“It saddens me to face you on the field of battle, Professor. Trespassing on holy ground is a grave sin indeed. You must atone for it with your life!” Seteth called out, pointing the end of his silver lance at her. The Ochain Shield glimmered on his arm, and Byleth pulled back her arm, loosing a spear towards him. He deflected it with his shield, and it clattered onto the stones below. Byleth readied another spear, throwing it with all her might. She said a silent apology to Seteth’s wyvern as the spear sliced through its wing, sending it plummeting to the ground. Seteth quickly dismounted the wounded beast, which cried out loudly in pain as it writhed. Seteth readied his shield and lance as Byleth hurled another spear towards him. He sidestepped it easily, and she thought she saw a smirk rise to his face. She knew she needed a clean shot, she would never be able to forgive herself if she made him suffer. He was not going to make it easy on her. She threw spear after spear and Seteth dodged and deflected every single one, returning her attacks with fierce swings and thrusts of his lance. Byleth was getting frustrated, there had been too many close calls on her part and not enough on his. She signaled Frey to move in closer, but Seteth drove them back with a mighty sweep of his lance. She threw a few more spears but had no luck finding her target. Her arm was getting tired, and she knew she only had a few more throws left. She reached down to grab another spear and her heart sank when she found she was down to her last two spears. This was it, her last chance. She knew what she must do, and she could already hear Linhardt scolding her. She took one spear in each hand, gripping them firmly as her bad hand throbbed with a dull ache. She signaled Frey to fly higher, and they circled above Seteth, who watched them intently as they climbed higher into the sky above him. She could have laughed to herself; she was about to use one of his own tactics against him. Frey started to dive, and Byleth prepared herself to strike. She drew her good arm back as they approached, and as Seteth raised the Ochain Shield at her, she jumped off of Frey. She could hear Hubert yelling her name in concern, but she could not turn back now. Leading with her spear, she plummeted down towards him. Time seemed to slow as she focused. She loosed a spear at him from her good hand, which Seteth deflected off the Ochain Shield with a clang. Quickly she drew the second spear, holding it above her head in both hands, readying the final blow. She saw his eyes widen in terror as she took her aim; he realized all too late that the first spear was a distraction, meant to be deflected, thus leaving him wide open to her attack. Tears streaked from her eyes as the tip of her spear began to connect with the flesh of his clavicle.

Time shattered around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey folks! happy friday and thanks so much for reading! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, get ready for some spicee seteth action next week ;)
> 
> all my love to those of you who left kudos and comments! as always i am so very thankful and humbled by your support.
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you next week!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> psa: there is smut in this chapter!!
> 
> also, there is a song featured later on in the chapter. if you'd like to listen to it as you read, here's the link:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntDAv0CMFhE

Byleth knocked gently on his office door, pulling the soft blanket closer around her shoulders. She heard him shifting inside, papers rustled and porcelain clanked as he tidied up his desk. She heard his footsteps as he crossed the room and the sweep of hands over cloth as he straightened himself up. The door opened with a creak, and light washed into the dark hallway. He looked like a beautiful vision as the light streamed around him, and his face softened at the sight of her.

“Ah, Lady Byleth. What are you doing awake at such an hour?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Seteth.”

He chuckled, stepping back to allow her inside. “Please, come in. Would you like some tea?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Byleth sat down on the plush chair in the sitting area. Seteth poured them each a cup of tea, handing one to Byleth before he sat in the seat beside her. Byleth held the cup in both hands, reveling in its warmth.

“I must admit I am surprised you came here, is there something on your mind?”

“It’s more of a feeling. I don’t know if I’m ready to be a leader. The people of Fódlan deserve a better Queen than me. How can a simple mercenary hope to lead everyone to a better future?”

“I understand your apprehension, power has been repeatedly thrust upon you with little warning. But you have taken it all in stride and excelled where others would fail. You may not see it, but you are a born leader. When you speak, people listen. Rhea saw your potential back when you were merely a mercenary, and she entrusted this role to you. While I may not have seen what she did back then, I see it clearly now.”

“Seteth, I’m scared.” Byleth said, turning away from him slightly. She was surprised when he placed his hand gently over hers.

“You have nothing to be afraid of. I will be by your side to assist you however I can, no matter what. There is no one better suited to lead Fódlan into a bright future than you.” He smiled at her warmly, and her chest tightened. He looked at her as though she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She could have cried.

“Seteth, can you do something for me?”

“Anything.”

“Will you walk with me tomorrow?”

“My Lady, that is a great honor. Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. You have been by my side through so much. I need you with me during the coronation. I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.”

“Then I would love nothing more than to stand with you, tomorrow and always.” Now Seteth looked like he was going to cry. “You should try and get some sleep, you will need to be at your best for tomorrow.”

“I suppose you’re right. Though I doubt I’ll get much more sleep tonight.”

“Would you like me to walk you back to your chambers?”

“Yes, please.”

Seteth stood, taking Byleth’s hand to help her to her feet. She blushed as he led her to the door, still holding tight to her hand. He held the door for her as they stepped into the hallway, and he placed her hand into the crook of his arm as they started to walk to the Archbishop’s quarters. Byleth leaned her head on his arm as they walked, and she felt Seteth sigh at the contact. They walked in silence, save for the sound of their footsteps and the rushing of Byleth’s pulse in her ears. They reached her room all too soon, and Seteth turned to bid her goodnight.

“Oh! I forgot my blanket in your office…” she trailed off, biting her lower lip sheepishly. Seteth laughed gently, shaking his head at her.

“I will retrieve it for you.”

“Thank you, I’m going to go lay down. I’m actually feeling a bit sleepy.” Byleth yawned, rubbing her eyes. Seteth opened the door to her room, and she stepped inside. He bowed to her slightly, and she dipped her head back at him. He shut the door softly, and she nearly floated across the room to her bed. She laid down with a sigh, pulling the thin sheet over herself as the fireplace crackled gently. She was asleep within seconds.

Seteth opened her door quietly, only to find her snoring gently from the bed. His heart filled with warmth as he smiled at her. She looked so peaceful. He tiptoed across the room to her bed, careful not to disturb her sleep. He laid the fur blanket down on top of her, tucking her in gently. She snuggled into the bed, and a small smile crept to her face. Seteth ran his hand gently along her cheek, his heart threatening to burst. He left as silently as he entered, whispering quiet words of endearment to her as he shut the door.

-

“Oh, you look absolutely lovely, Professor!” Mercedes cooed, tucking a strand of hair behind Byleth’s ear. Byleth looked herself over in the long mirror, she looked a bit too much like Rhea for her liking. The intricate, layered ivory robes hugged her curves and her long green hair framed her face as it hung down her back. The robes were accented with delicate golden embroidery, and a long, deep blue and gold cape had been fastened around her shoulders. She wore a simple golden circlet on her head, it was the only part of her outfit that she had chosen, and it was perhaps all too similar to the one that Seteth wore so frequently. “Now does anything feel off? We can always make last-minute alterations if you need it!”

“No, this is lovely. You and Bernadetta did an excellent job with this. I’m honored to wear it.”

“Nonsense, Professor! Bernie did all the hard embroidery work, I just put it together.” Mercedes smiled as she adjusted the cape so it hung just right. The golden embroidery shimmered every time she moved, and Byleth couldn’t stop looking at it. It all felt so surreal, she was sure she would wake up any moment now and be back in her tent; back in the war.

“They’re ready for you, Professor!” Dorothea called happily from the door, her smile full of love and pride.

“Thank you both for helping me.” Byleth said, pulling them both into an embrace. Mercedes wiped a tear from her eye as she pulled back to give Byleth one last warm smile. The three women made their way down from the Archbishop’s room towards the Chapel, and Byleth tried her best to look calm and dignified. Everyone they passed bowed deeply in respect, and she could hear their hushed murmurs as they passed. She wondered if they thought she looked as ridiculous as she thought she did. They crossed the bridge to the Chapel, and Byleth felt as though she might faint. She somehow managed to remain upright as they started up the stairs. What was waiting for her at the top nearly caused her knees to buckle.

“My Lady… You are stunning…” Seteth extended his hand out to her, he was giving her that look again; like she was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on. She found that she couldn’t bear to look away from him. He was radiant, having traded his usual dark blue robes for a fitted suit of white and gold with a long white cape bearing golden embroidery that matched the design on her own robes. Bernadetta really was too good.

“And you, my advisor, are incredibly handsome. I bet everyone will be too busy admiring you to even give me a sideways glance.”

“My Lady-” he began, only for Dorothea to cut him off with a hand over his mouth.

“Quarrel later, lovebirds. Everyone is waiting for you two!” Both Seteth and Byleth looked away sheepishly, faces blushing a deep red. Lovebirds? As much as Byleth wished that could be true, she knew Seteth saw her as a close friend and ally, and nothing more. Though there was always that part of her mind that thought otherwise, especially when he was giving her that look. She quickly shook her head to clear it, and placed her hand in the crook of Seteth’s arm. The Cathedral doors creaked open, and heavenly music filled the air as they started to walk. All Byleth could do was focus on each step as she clung to Seteth’s arm. Now she was sure she could faint. Rhea beamed at them warmly from the front of the Chapel; she looked tired, but Byleth knew she wouldn’t have missed the coronation for anything. As they neared the end of the long aisle, Byleth looked to her students and friends who sat in the front rows. Ferdinand was definitely crying, as was Marianne who clung to his side. Sylvain shot her a wink as she passed, and even Felix had a smile on his face. Caspar gave her a small wave as she walked, and Petra beamed at her. The baby in Petra’s arms had Caspar’s hair, and Byleth giggled to herself. Even Linhardt was there, smiling at her warmly as she passed. She was surprised to see Lysithea on his arm, looking less frail than usual. Byleth’s chest swelled with pride and love at her students, and Seteth patted her hand gently with his own. They were both proud of their students, and having them all here was the best gift Byleth could have asked for. 

“Everyone is staring at us.” Byleth whispered, squeezing Seteth’s arm slightly.

“No, Your Grace. We are all enraptured by you.”

-

Seteth stood from his seat beside her, tapping his champagne glass gently with a fork. The talking in the room quickly dissipated as everyone turned their attention to Seteth.

“My friends, thank you all for joining us today as we start a new chapter in our lives. I am honored by the presence of each and every one of you. Throughout my time knowing Byleth, she has had many titles; Professor, Commander, Archbishop, Queen, and now I am honored to call her my Wife. I have learned many things from her and from each and every one of you gathered here today. You taught me the true meaning of selflessness, friendship, bravery, and love. You have all helped to make me the man I am today, and this is a debt that can never truly be repaid. Today I have pledged my life to Byleth, knowing that I owe this life to you all, whom I am honored to call my friends. I propose a toast to you all. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for me.” Seteth raised his glass to his friends, and they responded with a hearty Cheers before they all took a sip of their drinks. Byleth stood from her seat, and Seteth sat down beside her. She placed a hand on his shoulder as she began her own speech.

“Today I stand before you in awe of how far we have come, all of us. Twenty-five years ago our friendship and strength allowed us to lead Fódlan into a brighter future. I have had the honor of leading you all as your Queen, and my success is thanks in no small part to all of you. It has not been an easy path, but the future remains bright. I trust that with your guidance the people of Fódlan will continue to prosper and peace will reign. It is with this trust in mind that Seteth and I have decided to officially step down as Prime Minister and Queen, effective immediately. We wish to once again walk among our people as equals, and as Husband and Wife. A toast to the future, to a brighter tomorrow!” Byleth dropped down into her seat heavily, her pulse rushing in her ears.

“That was excellent, my love.” Seteth purred into her ear, clasping her hand tightly within his own.

“I hope they weren’t too surprised.” Byleth replied, scanning the crowd for any signs of distress. She was pleased to find her friends all chatting happily, smiles on their faces. Like always, they had figured out her intentions long before she did. Her stomach fluttered, and she placed a hand over it gently. “Can we go and get some fresh air?”

“Of course.” Seteth stood, taking her hand as he led her out of the Reception Hall. The cool evening air was so refreshing, but Byleth found her hands remained clammy. They walked down the bridge to the Chapel, and Byleth paused once they were away from any prying eyes.

“Seteth, there is something I must tell you.” Byleth said firmly, turning to look out at the beautiful sunset.

“Nothing too dire, I hope.”

“I’ve been keeping a secret from you. From everyone.”

“Oh?”

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, I just couldn’t find the right time or the right words.” Byleth fidgeted with her dress as Seteth stared intently at her. She took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.” Seteth’s face quickly shifted from confusion and worry to pure joy. He laughed loudly as he lifted her up in his arms, spinning her around. He then wrapped her in a tight hug, kissing her forehead repeatedly.

“Oh, Byleth! This… this is wonderful! I- I can’t believe it! How long have you known?”

“A few weeks. The baby will arrive in five moons.” Byleth hugged him tight as he laughed against her. He kissed her firmly on the lips, and she melted into his arms. When they finally pulled away from each other, Byleth was surprised to find that Seteth was crying. She gently wiped a tear from his cheek, smiling at him warmly. He caught her hand with his, holding it tightly against his cheek.

“I love you Byleth. With all that I am.”

“I love you too, Seteth.”

-

“Wave goodbye to Mother and Father!” Flayn cooed, holding a turquoise-haired toddler in her arms. The child waved clumsily at Byleth and Seteth as they beamed at him from the back of a wyvern.

“Goodbye, Caim! Be good for Flayn!” Byleth called, waving back at her son. “See you both in a week! We love you!” With a short whistle the wyvern took to the sky, and Byleth’s heart sank as she watched Flayn and her son fade slowly off into the distance.

“You miss him already, don’t you?” Seteth asked, wind whipping through his forest green hair as they wyvern’s wings beat steadily under them.

“Of course I do! But I am happy to finally have some time alone with you. It’s been just one thing after another for the past few years.” Byleth tightened her arms around Seteth, and he hummed happily.

“I feel the same. He is in good hands with Flayn, I’m sure he will hardly notice we’re gone.”

“You’re right. I can’t spend this whole week worrying about him, this is time just for the two of us, after all. Where are we going anyways?”

“You will just have to wait and see, my love.”

Before long the steady pulsing of the wyvern’s wings and the warmth of her husband had lulled Byleth into a comfortable sleep. Seteth chuckled at her as she quietly snored away, still holding tight to him as she slept. He almost felt bad when he had to wake her.

“Byleth… My love, it’s time to wake up.” Seteth cooed, rubbing her arm with his hand. She stirred behind him, letting out a yawn as she woke.

“Hm? Are we there already?” she mumbled, still groggy from sleep. She stretched her arms above her head with a groan. “Where are we?”

“An island off the coast of Aegir territory, I spent some time here many years ago. And before you ask, Ferdinand does know we are here.” Seteth said as the wyvern began its descent. The island was beautiful; white, sandy beaches made up the shoreline, and a beautiful evergreen forest took up most of the island’s interior. The wyvern landed on the beach gently, and Seteth dismounted first, offering his hand to Byleth to help her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she pulled Seteth into an embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, bending down to kiss her gently on the lips. Byleth pressed her lips firmly against his, trying to deepen the kiss, but Seteth pulled back with a smile. He took her hand in his, and turned to lead them down a path through the woods. 

Byleth was captivated by the forest, the trees made her feel so small as she walked beneath their thick branches. She reveled in the sound of their soft footsteps on the earth and the call of birds in the distance; she could stay here forever. Before long they reached a small clearing with an old moss-covered log cabin. Seteth opened the door to reveal a small living space; a small couch sat by the fireplace, and beside it was a table with two chairs that sat under a small window. There was a small kitchen, and further back Byleth could see two additional rooms concealed behind wooden doors.

“Oh, it’s beautiful! Is this one of the Aegir family retreats?” she asked, looking around the quaint space. It was honestly too quaint for the Aegir family, but perhaps they had a secret love for the simple things in life?

“No, it belongs to me. This cabin has been here for many hundreds of years. I would know, after all I am the one who built it.” Seteth said with a smile. Byleth’s jaw practically hit the floor.

“Wait, you made this place?”

“Yes, though I admit there have been improvements made over the years. This is not the original furniture, and the bedroom and bathroom are relatively new additions. I built this cabin with my brothers when we were young, it was a place for us to escape Zanado. After the War of Heroes I retreated to this cabin with Flayn, and we spent many years here together. I have made many memories within these walls, and now I hope to make even more.” Seteth pulled her close and kissed her deeply, and she smiled against his lips. When they finally broke apart, both lightheaded and blushing, Byleth moved to light the fireplace. She stacked some kindling in the center and lit it with a quick fire spell as Seteth stepped outside to retrieve their packs from where he had attached them to his wyvern’s saddle. The fire roared to life, lighting the cabin with a gentle glow as the sun began to set.

“Oh, but we didn’t bring enough food to last us the week!” Byleth exclaimed, panicking slightly as Seteth entered the cabin.

“Not to worry, I had Ferdinand stop by earlier today and leave us all the food we need.” Seteth assured her, setting their bags down on the couch. “Now, shall I make us some dinner?” Byleth’s stomach rumbled loudly in response, and they both laughed loudly at its impeccable timing. Byleth sat at the table, watching in awe as her husband quickly prepared a simple meal of cured meats, cheese, and fresh vegetables. He sat a plate down in front of her, and she eyed it hungrily. He sat down across from her with a plate of his own before pouring them each a glass of wine. He held up his glass to her, and she raised hers in response. “To us, my love.”

“To us.” she responded, tapping her glass to his gently. They tucked into their food, and Byleth found her eyes drawn out the window over the table. It was angled just right so that she could watch the sun setting through the trees; Seteth really did think of everything. When they had finally eaten their fill, Seteth reached his hand out to her across the table, and she placed her hand gently in his. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb gently, and he gave her that look that always made her weak in the knees; like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

“Byleth, I have to be honest with you.”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t just bring you here to escape from our duties. I regret not being able to take you on a proper honeymoon after we were married. We were both busy with our duties to Fódlan, and you were pregnant, and I-”

“Seteth, I regret nothing about my life.” she interrupted, ceasing his rambling. “Everything happened as it had to, and I believe it was all for the best. After all, it has led us to this beautiful moment. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Byleth smiled warmly as he stood from his seat, moving to kneel on the ground next to her. He held her hand tightly in his as he stared deeply into her eyes.

“Then allow me to renew my vow to you once more. From this day forward, I will always be at your side. Through good or ill fortune. Through the greatest of joys and the worst of woes. No matter how daunting the task, I will be there. I owe my life, everything I am to you. I love you beyond what mere words can express. For whatever centuries may yet be ours, I will always be by your side.”

Byleth threw herself into his arms, joyful tears running down her cheeks. He embraced her tightly, shedding tears of his own. “My life would not be complete without you in it. You have given me the world. I love you, so so much.” They lost track of time as they held each other tight, kneeling together on the floor of the ancient cabin, whispering gentle words of love and affirmation. Byleth pulled back to kiss him firmly on the lips, tears still running down their cheeks. He deepened the kiss, yearning to pull her ever closer to himself. They kissed as though they had been apart for thousands of years, each one thinking of nothing but their love for the other. Their needy hands ran firmly over each other, straining to touch every inch of their bodies. Seteth pulled them to stand, not daring to remove his lips from hers. He picked her up into his strong arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist tightly. He carried her into the bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him with a swift kick. He gently laid her down on the bed, finally parting their lips if only for a moment. She beamed up at him, her hair splayed around her head and her cheeks flushed pink with passion as her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath. He wanted to wrap himself up in her and never let go. Her swollen lips parted gently as she breathed his name, and he bent down to consume her once more.

He ran his hands over her curves, feeling every inch of her as she sighed at his touch. He pushed her tunic up and over her head, the cool air hardening her nipples as his hands continued to run over her body. He leaned down to pepper her body with kisses, each one sending a jolt of electricity through her body. She moaned quietly as he reached her breasts, kissing the soft surface of one breast while his hand fondled the other. He sucked her nipple firmly, earning a throaty groan in response. He moaned against her skin, sucking the hard nub and dancing his tongue over it, sending a wave of warm pleasure through Byleth’s body. When he finally released her nipple and pulled back to revere her once more, Byleth squirmed under his gaze, hungry for his touch. His eyes ran over her body, and a warm smile rose to his face as she beamed back up at him. He bent down to connect their lips once more, and Byleth lost herself in the wonderful sensation. Something about Seteth’s kisses left her intoxicated and yearning for more; she could kiss him all day if he would allow it. He hooked his thumb under her trousers, removing them along with her underwear in one fluid motion. He pulled back from her lips once more, and Byleth decided that he was wearing far too many clothes. She grabbed ahold of his tunic, pulling it over his head gently. She ran her hands over his muscles; his clothes always betrayed how fit he truly was. He moaned quietly as she placed a few delicate kisses to his chest, running her hands over his body. He wrapped an arm around her as she pulled his trousers down, freeing his rock-hard member. She parted her lips as she looked up at him, a smile spreading across both their faces. 

She moved to kneel on the bed before him, putting herself at his height. She threw her arms around his shoulders, drawing him in for another dizzying kiss. Their tongues danced together as they held each other tight, bodies pressed firmly together. Byleth pulled back from the kiss, gently removing the circlet from his forehead and setting it on the nightstand. He blushed slightly as she pushed his long hair aside to reveal a pointed ear. She ran her fingers along the length of the point, eliciting a shiver and a labored exhale from Seteth. She leaned in and gently placed a kiss to the ridge of his ear, and he moaned in response. She knew how sensitive his ears were, and she planned to use that to her advantage. She continued her ministrations, nipping, sucking, and kissing his ear until he was nearly shaking from the stimulation. He managed a throaty whisper in between his deep moans.

“My love, please…”

She pulled back from his ear to find his face flushed as he panted, pure lust in his eyes. He laid her down on the mattress gently, and her core pooled with heat as he eyed her hungrily. He gently trailed his fingers down her side, earning a shiver and a breathy moan from Byleth. When his hand finally reached her mound she squirmed underneath him, desperate for his touch. He rubbed gentle circles onto her clit, and she moaned as heat pooled in her core. He started rubbing harder, and Byleth’s legs started to shake as she saw stars. He brought his other hand to her dripping pussy, teasing the entrance gently as he continued rubbing firm circles over her clit. She moaned loudly as he slipped a finger inside her cunt, rubbing it along her walls gently. He began to thrust his finger in and out, working in rhythm with his hand on her clit. He added a second finger and Byleth cried out in pleasure as he curled his fingers inside her, hitting her in just the right spot. Her legs shook harder and her view faded to white as she drowned in pleasure, moaning his name. Seteth groaned quietly as he watched his wife come undone beneath him, her orgasm wracking her body as her pussy tightened around his fingers. When the pleasure had subsided, Seteth drew his fingers out of her, sucking her juices off of them with a sigh.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice thick and husky with desire. She nodded at him, biting her lip as he gently spread her legs, nestling himself between them. He lined his tip up with her entrance and she whined, desperate for that feeling of fullness. He slowly pushed inside her, each one groaning as he buried himself deeper inside her. When he had pushed in as far as he could go, he held himself still for a moment so she could adjust to his girth. He slowly started to thrust in and out, each movement sending sparks of electricity throughout her body. He continued to move slowly and methodically, taking the time to enjoy every inch of her. He dropped his head to her shoulder, kissing her neck gently as he made love to her. She ran her hands over his back, wrapping her legs around his hips to allow him to thrust even deeper inside her. They both moaned loudly as he pushed into her, another orgasm already building deep in her core. They whispered tender words to each other as he continued his intoxicatingly slow movements, driving them each closer and closer to the edge with every measured thrust. Byleth lost all sense of time as he worked, giving in to the intense pleasure he was so carefully delivering to her. When his thrusts finally started to falter, he picked up his pace slightly to drive them both over the edge. Her legs began to shake once more as he continued his relentless thrusting, and she captured his lips in a passionate kiss. Her pleasure erupted, and she saw white as her pussy clamped down on his cock, sending him crashing down with her. He came hard inside of her, spilling his seed deep into her core as she shook from pleasure beneath him. He pressed his forehead to hers as they both rode out their highs, their chests heaving from the intensity. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, and he leaned into the contact. He wrapped his arms around her, wrapping her in a firm and warm embrace as their breathing finally started to return to normal. She groaned as he slid his cock out of her, already missing the fullness. Seteth kissed her neck tenderly, whispering gentle words of love into her ear.

He kissed her forehead as he pulled back, moving to stand on shaky legs. He helped her to her feet, taking her hand in his own as he led her to the bathroom. She could not keep her hands off him, clinging to his warmth as he drew them a bath. He chucked at her, but leaned back into her embrace. When the bath was full, he held her hand as she lowered into it with a heavy sigh. He followed, sitting behind her in the warm bath. She leaned back against his chest, the warm water soothing her very soul and drawing out any soreness from her body. He washed her body gently with a sponge, taking his time to ensure no part of her was left untouched. When they both were clean, she leaned back against him once more, suddenly overcome by her drowsiness. He chucked as her breathing slowed against his chest, running a hand through her hair. He drained the water from the tub, drying her off gently with a plush towel before carrying her back to the bedroom. She really could sleep through anything. He laid her down on the bed gently, pulling the warm covers tight around her before taking his place in bed beside her. He curled his body around hers, and she smiled in her sleep. He kissed her neck gently, burying his face in her shoulder. His heart swelled with warmth and love for the woman who lay beside him; his beloved wife, the mother of his child, his moon and stars.

“I love you, Byleth.” he whispered gently in her ear, pulling her tightly to his chest as he drifted off to sleep.

-

A Holy Knight trotted down a dusty path, the Spear of Assal strapped to his back. His horse knew the way well, so he took a moment to revel in the sounds of the forest. He always felt most at home here; this forest was where his father had first taught him to swing a lance and his mother had taught him to use white magic. He missed them, but knew he would be home soon. His horse walked a bit faster as the clearing came into view; a small stream flowed by a stone cabin with smoke rising from the chimney. He was home. He quickly dismounted his horse, removing its tack before releasing it into the enclosure where a beautiful ebony horse grazed lazily. He heard the familiar cry of a wyvern, and his father’s beloved mount landed beside him.

“Hello, old friend!” the knight laughed, scratching the wyvern under its chin. “I’ve missed you too.” He patted the wyvern on its side before turning to head into the cabin. He removed his helmet as he walked, tousling his turquoise hair. He knocked gently on the cabin door before opening it to reveal the shocked faces of his parents.

“Mother! Father! I’m home!” he cheered, giving them a small wave.

“Caim!” Byleth exclaimed, moving to wrap her son in a warm embrace.

“Caim, welcome home.” Seteth greeted, wrapping his arms around both of them.

“I thought you were away on assignment?” Byleth questioned as they backed out of the embrace.

“Yes, we finished our mission earlier than expected. Captain Clovis let us all have a vacation for a few days.” The trio moved to sit by the fireplace. “How are you holding up?”

Byleth placed a hand on Seteth’s leg, a deep sadness washing over her. “We are doing as well as we can.” she replied, her voice breaking. With the news of Petra’s passing, Seteth, Byleth, and Flayn were now the only surviving members of their old group of friends. Silence hung over them as Seteth and Byleth mourned once again. Seteth was the first one to break the silence, his voice shaky at first.

“You arrived at just the right time, Caim. Flayn will join us tomorrow to celebrate your mother’s birthday.”

“Ah, I had almost forgotten that my birthday is coming up. I suppose my age is finally catching up to me.” Byleth said with a feeble laugh, trying to shake her sadness.

“How old are you this year, mother?”

“When you’ve lived as long as I have, you lose track of the years.” Now she was starting to sound like Jeralt. Caim’s turquoise eyes met hers, and she smiled at him gently. “But if I had to guess, I’d say almost one hundred.”

“I’m sure you’d like to get cleaned up from your journey, Caim.” Seteth said, more of an order than a suggestion. Caim nodded, quickly heading into his room.

“I feel so strange, Seteth. I’m almost a hundred years old and I feel it, but I don’t look a day over 25. Now the last of my students has passed, yet I live on unchanged. Does that not drive you mad?”

“It is difficult, knowing that you will outlive those you grow to love. I always found refuge in Flayn. Now I find refuge in you, and in our son. The goddess has given us the gift of life, and we must choose how to use that gift. We could spend our days here, alone, and save ourselves from the pain of watching our friends grow old as we live on. Or we can choose to seek out the joy that friendship brings, because the pain we will one day face is a worthy price to pay for such joy.” Seteth rubbed her leg gently, and she smiled at him feebly, her eyes welling up with tears. “Now, no more tears. Today is a happy day. Let’s go spend some time with our son.”

The day passed quickly as Caim spun tales of his latest adventures, and Byleth found herself sharing stories of her own from her days back at the monastery. Seteth’s heart filled with joy as he reveled in the presence of his family, their storytelling continuing into the night. When he first suggested they all turn in for the night, he was met with identical sad looks from his wife and son. He relented with a smile, letting them continue talking for a few hours more. As the conversation began to die down, each one found themselves suddenly quite exhausted as they all stifled yawns. Caim bid his parents goodnight first, wrapping them each in a warm hug before retiring to his room. Byleth looked as though she could have fallen asleep sitting in her chair, and Seteth chuckled warmly as he lifted her into his arms to carry her into their room. He laid her down gently on the bed, tucking the covers around her before kissing her gently on the forehead. He sat in bed beside her, not ready to sleep just yet. Byleth closed her eyes as Seteth began to stroke her hair gently.

“My love, will you sing for me?”

“Of course.” Seteth took a deep breath and began to sing, his rich tone washing over Byleth like a warm blanket.

A stór mo chroí when you're far away

From the home that you’ll soon be leaving

It's many a time by night and by day

That your heart will be sorely grieving

For the stranger's land may be bright and fair

Rich in its treasures golden

But you'll pine I know for days long long ago

And the love that is never olden

A stór mo chroí in the stranger's land

There is plenty of wealth and wailing

Where gems adorn the great and the grand

There are faces with hunger paling

  
  


When the road is dreary and hard to tread

And the lights of their cities blind you

Won’t you turn a stór to Erin's green shore

And the one you are leaving behind you

A stór mo chroí when the evening mist

Over mountain and meadow is falling

Won’t you turn away and when you list

And maybe you will hear me calling

For the sound of a voice you will surely miss

Somebody speedily returning

A run a run won't you come back soon

To the one that will always love you

  
  
  
  


Byleth’s spear pierced Seteth’s flesh through the weak spot in his armor and he cried out, the sound sending a piercing pain into Byleth’s chest. She quickly pulled the spear from where it had driven deep into his chest, bringing a stream of crimson with it. Seteth collapsed to the ground on his hand and knees, coughing red spots onto the stone ground. She rushed to his side, a painful ringing in her ears as the world around her fell silent. She helped Seteth to turn and lay on his back, a line of crimson trailing down his chin. She watched him take a pained, shaky breath, but the ringing in her ears blocked out all other sounds. He stared up at her with a look that was equal parts forgiveness and condemnation; love and hatred; sorrow and peace. Byleth ran a hand through his beautiful hair gently, cradling his face in her hands. She wanted to cry, to scream, but no words or tears came. As the battle around them faded away, Byleth leaned close to him as he wearily spoke. 

“I have lived many years… yet there was still more I wished to do.” His breathing quickened, and his eyes blew wide. She knew this was the end, and she was helpless to save him. She felt a panic rising in her chest. She pressed her forehead to his as he took one last sharp inhale before his body went limp in her arms. Her chest tightened as she pulled back, his faded eyes staring off into the distance. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes tight. Why did she condemn herself to this fate? Why was she forcing herself to kill her friends and lovers? Her breathing quickened and she fisted her hands deep into her hair, curling down over Seteth once more. Why was she such an idiot? Why couldn’t she have just picked a different house? Why? Why why why? Her mind swirled with questions that had no answer, and she pounded her fist on the side of her head in a desperate attempt to get them to stop. Hubert was at her side in an instant; he grabbed her wrists and held them firmly in his hands.

“Byleth, you need to calm down. You must control yourself. Stop this.” he said as sternly as he could muster, but she would not open her eyes. She strained against his hold, wanting to feel something, anything, besides this burning pain in her chest. He grumbled at her resistance, releasing her wrists to stand over her as she made herself as small as possible over Seteth’s lifeless body. His rage boiled as she knelt there without the slightest concern for her students. He knew he should be comforting her, but he couldn’t control his anger any longer.

“Byleth, that was too reckless. What were you thinking jumping off of your wyvern like that?” Hubert spat, causing Byleth to flinch slightly.

“He was dodging everything I threw at him, what other choice did I have?” she responded in a small, broken voice, still refusing to move from her place on the ground.

“Other choice? Byleth, you know you could have fallen back.”

“No, I had to do it myself.”

“Why do you continue to insist on that? I don’t understand why it always has to be you.”

“They were my friends, Hubert. It’s personal.”

He growled under his breath. “You are impossible. Do you know what kind of danger you put yourself in? What danger you put our comrades in?”

“I do not regret my actions.” she said with as much strength she could muster.

“Fine then, go and get yourself killed! I will tolerate this childish behavior no longer.” He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but he could not take them back now. Byleth gave him a tearful look, her eyes wide with shock and pain at his harsh words. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to apologise for acting out. But he made this bed, and now he had to lay in it. He turned with a swish of his cape and stormed away, leaving Byleth curled up on the ground. A streak of orange hair flew past him and he paused, looking over his shoulder as Ferdinand pulled a broken Byleth into his arms. If looks could kill, Hubert would be dead a thousand times over by Ferdinand’s hand.

“Professor, please come with me. We must get you off the battlefield.” Ferdinand said gently, reaching his hand out to her. She faltered for a moment, still reeling from Hubert’s tirade. She slowly sat up, unable to tear her eyes away from Seteth, as if he might spring back to life at any moment. “Byleth, please.” Ferdinand urged again, and Byleth startled slightly at the sound of her name in his voice. She finally turned away from Seteth to take Ferdinand’s hand, but the instant they touched a searing pain shot through her body. She crumpled to the ground with a cry, clutching her injured hand close to her chest. Ferdinand swept her into his arms, calling out for a healer as she gritted her teeth through the pain. Every step he took sent a new jolt of pain through her body, and the ringing in her ears grew deafening. Ferdinand stopped as a healer met him, healing magic at the ready. The healer’s hand touched Byleth’s, and Ferdinand watched in horror as she went limp in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back folks, and thanks so much for reading! i hope you enjoyed this chapter, in case you didnt notice i am big soft for seteth. what can i say, i cant help loving dat man. tune in next week for the siege of arianrhod and a confrontation with my favorite angy boi.
> 
> all my love to those of you who left kudos, they make my whole week <3
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you next friday eve!!


	9. Chapter 9

_ “Knowing that you are on my side, I feel unstoppable.” _

_ “I would appreciate if you were always by my side, bearing witness to my accomplishments.” _

_ “I need you as much as I need my next breath. More, perhaps.” _

_ “It would be no exaggeration to say that my whole life, everything I have done, has led me to this moment.” _

Byleth found herself back in the darkness, snapshots of her lives rapidly flashing to her eyes, only to disappear in an instant. She tried to look at each one, to make sense of it, but they changed too quickly. The images overwhelmed her, but she found herself unable to look away. She thought she heard a voice, someone calling her name. She could not identify the voice, but it said her name as if it was pleading with her, as if it needed her to answer. She tore her eyes away from the images, looking around her for the source of the voice as it called to her again from off in the distance. She ran towards it, but as hard as she pushed off the ground she did not move. She whipped her head around as the voice called her name louder and louder, looking for something, anything that could get her out of the dark. She dropped to her knees as the voice grew louder still, and she clamped her hands over her ears in a desperate attempt to block out the voice. The sound of her name filled her head, louder and louder until she thought she might burst. She tried to scream, but no sound came.

Byleth sat bolt upright, gasping for air as her pulse pounded in her ears. Ferdinand jumped up from his seat beside her, grabbing her forearm tightly as she gasped for air.

“Professor! Professor, you must calm down. You are alright, calm down.” he pleaded, his face knit with worry. Byleth tried to slow her breathing, staring down at the thick white blanket that covered her legs. She blinked quickly, trying to clear the blur out of her eyes. She tried to raise her hands to rub her eyes, but Ferdinand would not release his hold on her forearm. She blinked a few times more, her vision finally coming into focus. Her breath caught in her lungs at the sight of her hand. Her fingers were swollen to almost twice their normal size, and a patchwork of red, purple, and deep blue mottled her hand. She tried to speak, to ask what happened, but all she could do was croak, her voice raspy and painful.

“You injured your hand further when you attacked Seteth. Linhardt said there is significant nerve damage, and you nearly shattered all of the bones in your fingers.” Ferdinand would not look at her hand, and she recoiled at the thought of Seteth; limp and fading on the stones outside the monastery. Her whole body was horribly stiff and ached with every movement. She knew she must have been asleep for a while, and her head swam with worry. She mustered all the air she could, concentrating on making a sound.

“Ho-how…”she croaked, and Ferdinand's worried eyes danced over her face. She swallowed hard, concentrating again. “...l-long…”

“How long were you asleep?” he asked, and she nodded stiffly in confirmation. “About a week.” Her heart dropped into her stomach. “I must go and fetch Linhardt now that you are awake. I will only be gone for a moment, Professor.” Ferdinand gave her one last worried look before he stood and left her alone in her room. She brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her good hand around her legs as her thoughts swam. She didn’t know how long she sat there before Ferdinand returned with Linhardt, sadness and worry in their eyes at the sight of her. Linhardt moved to stand beside her, summoning a healing spell in his hand.

“Professor, please tell me if this hurts you in the slightest.” Linhardt murmured gently, lowering his hand to hers. The cool rush of healing magic coursed through her, and she sighed slightly at the relief. “Are you okay?” Linhardt asked, eyes darting over her face for any signs of discomfort. Byleth nodded her head in confirmation, and Linhardt turned his attention back to the spell. He let it course through her a while longer, closing his eyes to concentrate as Ferdinand looked on with a concerned expression. When Linhardt pulled back with a small shake of his head, Ferdinand looked as if he was about to keel over from worry.

“Well? How is she?” Ferdinand asked urgently, eyes darting back and forth between Linhardt and Byleth.

“I don’t know how you did it, but your fingers are nearly healed. All that remains is this superficial damage, but that will resolve itself in time.” Linhardt said, taking Byleth’s injured hand into his own. She winced at his touch, though it was more of a reflex than an actual response to pain. Byleth cleared her throat a few times as Linhardt turned her hand over in his curiously.

“Th-hmm...Thank you.” Byleth rasped, finally releasing her legs from her chest.

“I’ve got her now, Ferdinand. I’m sure you have other business to attend to.” Linhardt said, more of a command than a request. Ferdinand shook his head sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I would like to stay, if you do not mind.” Ferdinand insisted, earning a small eyeroll from Linhardt.

“Oh, but I do. There are some things I must discuss with Byleth in private.” Linhardt said firmly, still engrossed in the state of Byleth’s hand. Ferdinand lingered a few moments longer, but when Linhardt did not budge, Ferdinand sighed gently and turned to leave.

“I hope you feel better soon, Professor.” Ferdinand said stiffly, bowing to her slightly before exiting the room. Linhardt released Byleth’s hand and moved to sit on the bed beside her.

“What was that about?” Byleth asked, clearing her throat a few times as she cradled her injured hand close to her chest.

“What, Ferdinand? He has been quite the nuisance lately. He insisted on staying here with you constantly, I had to kick him out more than once so that he would get some sleep. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“He stayed here with me the entire time I slept?” Byleth felt a small blush rising to her cheeks.

“Well, not the entire time. I stayed here for a few days. In fact, everyone volunteered to sit with you at one point or another.”

“Everyone?”

“Mhm. Though Ferdinand turned them all away. It was strange, when Hubert asked to stay with you Ferdinand really got upset. Things have been… tense.” Linhardt sighed, turning to look out the window as Byleth’s thoughts raced. Hubert had asked to stay with her? Even after how they had fought? Now she had really done it. Not only did she muck things up between herself and Hubert, but now she had gone and put Hubert and Ferdinand at odds. She only hoped they managed to hold it together during war councils; having two of the Empire’s best generals at odds was not a good foundation for a war.

“I’m sorry for putting you all through this. I was foolish to challenge Seteth alone but I…”

“I understand, I know you shared a close bond with him. I don’t think any of us truly knew how formidable he could be.” Linhardt looked at her out of the corner of his eye, no doubt making sure she wasn’t going to break down again.

“He was incredibly strong, I have to admit it took me by surprise.” she lied, her thoughts flashing to memories of her battles alongside Seteth. He truly was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield… and now he was gone. She quickly banished the thoughts from her mind as Linhardt placed a hand on her arm in support.

“I know you’ve been sleeping for a while now but you still should rest a while longer. I’ll go let everyone know you’re awake. I’m sure everyone is dying to see you. I’ll check back in with you later tonight, okay?” Linhardt asked, standing from the bed. Byleth nodded in confirmation and Linhardt smiled softly at her before he turned to leave. When the door had shut behind him, Byleth let out a massive sigh. Leave it to her to break her hand and fall into another restorative slumber. She said a silent thanks to Sothis, who she was sure was scolding her heavily right about now. Byleth sat up against the headboard of the bed, straightening the blankets around her. Her students would undoubtedly be there soon, and she knew she needed to look strong for them after she had been acting so weak lately. She hoped they wouldn’t think any less of her.

-

“Would you like me to stay with you tonight? I would not mind, especially if it would help you to feel more at ease.” Ferdinand said, lingering by the end of her bed. She had already managed to usher the rest of her students out who had come to visit her, but Ferdinand was being strangely clingy. Byleth couldn’t deny that company would be nice, but she knew that Ferdinand’s presence was keeping Hubert away, and she desperately wanted to talk to him. She would be lying if she said that his absence from the greeting party earlier hadn’t hurt, but she knew he would come to her in time.

“That’s quite alright Ferdinand, I can manage on my own. Besides, I have guards posted outside my door.” she said firmly, giving him a small smile.

“Are you sure? As I said, I would not mind staying.”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. We could both use some rest.”

“I suppose you are right.” Ferdinand said, a hint of sadness in his voice. “But do not hesitate to call on me should you need anything.”

“Thank you, Ferdinand.” Byleth said, becoming slightly annoyed at his insistence. He finally turned to leave, but hesitated for a moment at her door. He turned to face her, and she could tell he was mulling over what to say next. He finally shook his head after much deliberation, bowing to her slightly.

“Goodnight then, Professor. Sleep well.” he said stiffly, turning to open the door in a rush.

“Sweet dreams, Ferdinand” Byleth barely had time to answer before the door was shut firmly behind him. She put a hand to her temples, shaking her head at his antics. She moved to lay down in the bed, blowing out the candle on her nightstand before pulling the blankets tightly around herself. She closed her eyes as the fireplace crackled gently in the distance; she couldn’t bear to be alone in the darkness, not now. 

She was practically asleep when a quiet knock sounded at her door. She wasn’t sure if her ears were playing tricks on her so she laid still, straining to listen for any sound from the hall. The door creaked open slowly, the light from the hall streaming into her room. Byleth shut her eyes tight, slowing her breathing to imitate sleep. Why was she being so childish? Pretending to be asleep? The door shut gently, and a set of quiet footsteps approached her. The footsteps stopped beside her, and she mustered all of her willpower not to open her eyes. Her visitor lingered there a while longer before quietly moving to sit in the chair that had been placed beside her bed. She listened to the sound of her visitor breathing, fabric rustling slightly as they made themselves comfortable in the chair. Her hand twitched suddenly, and she cursed herself.

“Are you awake?” her visitor whispered, barely audible. She could not place the voice. She continued her slow and steady breathing while longer, hoping she hadn’t been found out. It was agony, laying there pretending to be asleep as her visitor looked on. She wished they would talk, move, do anything to let her know if she had or hadn’t been found out. Finally, the voice spoke again, still barely a whisper. “Guess not.” Silence hung between them a while longer, and Byleth thought she might scream. Suddenly, a gentle hand stroked her hair. Her visitor tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, and continued to stroke the top of her head gently.

“You are a fool, you know.” her visitor whispered, and Byleth’s mind raced as she tried to place the voice. “I was worried about you. When I was told that you had collapsed, I dreaded that my last words to you would have been harsh ones.” Hubert. Byleth’s pulse rushed in her ears. “I know that no matter how much I scold you, you will continue to act rashly. So I suppose it falls to me to protect you, despite your foolishness. From now on I will always be by your side to protect you, no matter what evils may come our way.” He trailed off, continuing his rhythmic stroking of Byleth’s haid. She found the pattern lulling her into sleep. “Byleth, I-”

-

Byleth opened her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. She stretched, blinking her eyes to clear the sleep out of them. Her eyes widened as she remembered last night. Hubert. She rolled over quickly to where he was sitting, only to find the chair empty. She felt a pang of sadness at his absence, and pulled the thick blankets tighter around herself. Did she dream that he was there? If he was really there, did he mean what he said? She felt a fluttering in her stomach at the thought of Hubert binding his life to hers. A small blush rose to her cheeks, and she found herself daydreaming about their future; courting, their wedding, starting a life together, the feel of his body pressed to hers as they-

A knock sounded at the door, snapping Byleth back to reality. She quickly composed herself, sitting upright against the headboard and smoothing the blankets around her. “One moment, please.” she called out, running her fingers over her hair in an attempt to smooth it down.

“Professor? It’s me, Edelgard. I can come back later if now is a bad time.” Edelgard said, muffled by the door. Byleth laughed to herself, Edelgard truly did have impeccable timing. She fought off the red blush on her cheeks as best she could.

“Please come in!” Byleth called back, trying her best to sound chipper. The door opened to reveal Edelgard, hair perfectly wrapped around her crown. How did she have the time and energy to do her hair like that every single morning?

“Good morning Professor, I wanted to check up on you again. I know having everyone here last night must have been quite a lot, especially after you’d just woken up.” Edelgard crossed the room to the chair beside Byleth’s bed, clasping her hands in her lap firmly after she sat down.

“It was a bit overwhelming at first, but I’m still so happy everyone came to see me.” Byleth said, noticing the small twinge on Edelgard’s face as they both recalled Hubert’s absence.

“Yes, we all care about you a great deal. A bit too much, perhaps, in some cases…” Edelgard trailed off, her brow knit with thought. “Linhardt told me your hand is healing nicely, he sounded optimistic about your recovery.”

“I have yet to talk to him today, but I want to get back to training as soon as possible. I know our journey to Arianrhod is coming up, and I want to be able to help as much as I can.”

“I actually came here to discuss our upcoming battle with you. I am pleased to hear that you would still like to come with us, I was worried we would be missing our esteemed tactician and commander.”

“If Linhardt says it’s alright I would like not just to help with tactics but to fight as well. I don’t know if it will be possible for me to wield a lance or axe like normal, but I know there are other ways I can fight.”

“He should be here any time now to check on you. If you don’t mind, I would like to stay here to hear what he has to say about your battle prospects.”

“Of course, I’m sure together the three of us can figure out some way for me to help in battle.”

“Have you eaten yet? I can send for some food for you.”

“I hate to admit it, but I just woke up a few minutes before you came in.”

“Oh, forgive me for intruding so early. If I would have known-”

“I’m happy you’re here, Edelgard. I do enjoy your company.” Byleth reassured her, giving her a warm smile. Edelgard quickly stood and crossed to the door, and Byleth could have sworn she saw a hint of a blush on Edelgard’s cheeks. Edelgard stepped out briefly to give orders to the guards, and Byleth stretched her arms above her head with a yawn. Before long, Edelgard returned to sit beside her again.

“Someone will bring food here for you soon. Is there anything I can get for you in the meantime?” Edelgard asked, eyeing Byleth inquisitively.

“I would appreciate being filled in on all that happened while I was asleep, nobody told me yesterday.” Byleth said, concern rising as Edelgard’s face fell.

“The attack led by Seteth was not the only invading force. Rhea and Catherine were also at the battle. We…” Edelgard’s jaw tightened. “We lost both Randolph and Ladislava. Fleche and Jeritza will take over their duties here at the monastery.” A deep sadness washed over Byleth as she recalled her time with Randolph and Ladislava. They were always happy to spar and train with her, and Ladislava was always looking out for Frey. They shared many happy meals in the dining hall, and had even visited the tavern in town a few times together. In her past lives she had always regarded them as fierce opponents that must be appropriately dealt with and nothing more. But now that she had gotten to know them she found herself truly saddened at the news of their passing.

“We will continue on in their honor. We will achieve victory, not just for ourselves, but for them as well. I hope we can make them proud.”

“Yes, the church will pay for what they have done.” Edelgard said firmly, clenching her fist tightly. A knock sounded at the door, and each of them quickly composed themselves.

“Come in.” Byleth called, wiping away a stray tear. The door opened to reveal Linhardt alongside a servant bearing a tray of food.

“Good morning Professor, Edelgard.” Linhardt said, stepping inside the room so that the servant could deliver the food to Byleth. The servant placed the tray on the bedside table, before quickly bowing and hustling back out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Byleth eyed the food hungrily, debating what she wanted to eat first. She settled on a bowl of porridge topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey, tucking into it happily while Linhardt sat on the foot of the bed with a sigh. “How are you feeling today, Professor?”

Byleth swallowed her mouthful of food, clearing her throat before answering. “Better today, less tired.”

“I see you can use your hand with little problem.” Linhardt said with a smirk.

“Oh! I suppose I can! I didn’t even think about it.” Byleth said, shocked to see that she had instinctively used her bad hand to shovel the porridge into her mouth. She laughed, a bit embarrassed, as Linhardt shook his head at her. He reached out for her hand and she put the porridge down on the bedside table, placing her bad hand gently in his. A rush of healing magic flowed over her as he inspected her hand, turning it over and over gently. He released her hand with a look of deep thought, and Byleth returned to her breakfast.

“What do you think, Linhardt? Can she fight in our next battle?” Edelgard asked, sitting more upright in her chair as he pondered the question.

“Hm, not with that hand. Perhaps magic? Though I know you haven’t trained in magic, Professor.”

“I’d prefer to use a weapon, it’s what I’m more comfortable with.” They each went silent as they thought about what to do. Byleth snapped her fingers as it dawned on her. “I can just use a sword! I wouldn’t be able to use my dominant hand, but if we still have a few weeks before the battle I can spend time working on my skills with my other hand.”

“I suppose that would work, yes. But you’d have to be on foot, you can’t be steering your wyvern with your injured hand.” Linhardt responded, placing his hand on his chin as he continued to think.

“If anyone can do this in three weeks it’s you, my Teacher.” Edelgard responded, a small smile rising to her face.

“So am I cleared to start training today?” Byleth asked, eager to get out of bed.

“Let’s see how you do with standing first. You were in bed for more than a week after all.” Linhardt said, moving to stand beside the bed. Byleth took her last bite of porridge before setting the empty bowl on the bedside table. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and Edelgard stood opposite Linhardt to assist Byleth to stand. She took both Edelgard and Linhardt’s hands, using them to help pull herself to her feet. Her muscles ached, and her legs trembled a bit as she stood, leaning heavily on her friends to keep her balance. They remained still for a while until the shaking stopped and Byleth felt more steady.

“Would you like to walk?” Edelgard asked, eyes scanning over Byleth for any sign of distress or discomfort. Byleth nodded firmly, and took a tentative step. She was thankful that both Edelgard and Linhardt were holding her, because she would surely have fallen otherwise. She leaned on her friends as they helped her to walk across the room towards the couch, her muscles straining with every step. She let go of their hands when she reached the couch, gripping the back of it for support. Linhardt kept a firm hand around her waist, and Edelgard stood close by, ready to catch her should she falter. Byleth took a steadying breath, and turned to walk back towards the bed on her own as Edelgard and Linhardt trailed close behind her. Thankfully her steps became easier as she went, and she continued to walk between the bed and the couch until she felt nearly back to normal. Edelgard and Linhardt seemed satisfied with her progress, and quickly bowed out to allow her to get ready for the rest of her day. Byleth changed out of the loose tunic and pants she had been wearing for Goddess knows how long, and slipped into a pair of shorts and a shirt with little issue. She grabbed an apple off the tray of food, munching on it as she walked towards the training grounds. Her spirit was lifted almost instantly when she stepped out into the sun, and she basked in its warmth as she walked. She was pleased to find Petra inside the training ground, hacking away at a training dummy with a sword. Petra stopped her routine when Byleth shut the door behind her, Petra’s face lighting up as she turned to see who had entered.

“Professor! It is good to be seeing you out of your bed.”

“I’m happy to be here too. Linhardt said I can come on the next mission with you.”

“That is most wonderful news! Is your hand still having pain?”

“No, it’s not too bad. But I do have a lot of work to do before the mission. I have to use a sword again, no two-handed weapons for now.”

“Hm, and you are having an injury to your primary fighting hand, correct?”

“Yes. So now I have to train to use a sword with my other hand.”

“I know that will not be much difficulty for you, professor.”

“I hope not. Would you like to help me train?”

“Of course! I will be making sure to be gentle.”

“Thank you, Petra.” Byleth grabbed a training sword off the rack, swinging it a few times in her good hand. It felt wrong somehow, but this was her only choice if she wanted to participate in the next battle. Luckily the changes to her stance and moves wouldn’t be too significant, but making sure her non-dominant hand was up to par with her dominant one would take hard work. She stood across from Petra in the ring, both of them dropping into a ready stance. Petra nodded to Byleth, letting her know that she could attack first. Byleth charged Petra tentatively, holding back from using her full strength until she was more confident. Petra parried her blow, and the resulting shock from the impact of their swords set Byleth off balance. She took a few steps back to steady herself before charging again.

As they worked, Byleth found herself becoming increasingly comfortable and steady, much to her delight. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so hard after all. Before long both women were drenched in sweat and tired, and Byleth decided to stop their training for now, opting for a trip to the sauna. She waved goodbye to Petra as she climbed the steps towards the sauna, already anticipating the relaxing feeling of the steam. She quickly changed her clothes and headed into the sauna, pouring several ladle-fulls of water over the rocks, enveloping the room in a thick blanket of steam. She carefully made her way to the bench, sitting down with a sigh. She thought she heard someone stir from another part of the room, but the steam was too thick for her to be able to tell. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes with a quiet moan, feeling all her pains and stress melting away as the warmth seeped into her bones. She did not know how long she stayed there, she might have even fallen asleep for a while. When the steam finally started to lift, she knew her time was up. She stood to leave with a groan, but hesitated when she noticed someone’s foot on the ground near the far corner of the sauna. She froze.

“Put some more water on for me, if you don’t mind.” Hubert purred; Byleth could hear the smirk in his tone. She stiffly added another ladle of water to the stones, her pulse rushing in her ears. Hubert chuckled quietly, and Byleth nearly sprinted out of the sauna. She shut the door to the changing room firmly behind her and leaned her back up against it, her mind racing as the sound of her pulse in her ears drowned out any other noise. Shit. Shit shit shit! Who knows what kind of noises she was making in there, and of course Hubert had to be the one to hear them. She buried her face in her hands, blushing deep red from embarrassment. She quickly changed back into her normal clothes and dashed back to her room, wanting desperately to avoid running into a certain dark-haired mage. She breathed a sigh of relief when her bedroom door was shut firmly behind her, and she sank onto the floor against the closed door. Why was she acting this way? Seeing Hubert in the sauna wasn’t really that big of a deal. But here she was, blushing and running about like a child. She could practically hear Sothis scolding her, calling her an absolute fool. Byleth picked herself up off the floor with a huff, moving to sit on the couch by the fireplace. She really needed to get ahold of herself.

  
-

“There are many mages within Arianrhod. We will also face Cornelia, a general of the Kingdom. We must also contend with Rodrigue, the head of House Fraldarius, as well as his troops. Once we defeat them, Arianrhod will be ours.” Edelgard said sternly, making eye contact with each of her friends in turn as they listened to her plan intently. Edelgard’s eyes softened slightly when they met Byleth’s, and Byleth couldn’t help but smile to herself. It had been a long three weeks, but she was finally ready to return to the field of battle. She thought back to the relief on her students’ faces when she told them that she planned on fighting with them at Arianrhod. Well, not everyone was relieved; Hubert and Ferdinand had both tried and failed at concealing their worried expressions.

“I hear Cornelia has a suspicious magic weapon at her disposal. We must attack before the enemy can respond with defensive measures.” Hubert added, stroking his chin in thought. Edelgard nodded, returning to her briefing.

“When Arianrhod falls, we'll focus on striking Fhirdiad from both the south and the east. The deeper we carve our way into Kingdom and church territory, the more favorable our position. As ever, I'm counting on you all to carry us to victory. Any questions?” Edelgard was met with silence as everyone became lost in their own thoughts of preparation. “The march to Arianrhod will take three days. We move out in one hour.”

Byleth quickly left the Cardinals Room, avoiding conversation with both Ferdinand and Hubert. She could feel the tension between the two of them, and it pained her greatly knowing that it was her fault they were fighting. They had settled down in the past few weeks, but she knew the distaste was still there. She briskly walked up to her room and shut the door firmly behind her, moving to pack her belongings. When she had everything she needed stored in Frey’s saddle bags, she moved to put on her armor. It was still a bit of a challenge to put on, but she managed to strap everything into place with less trouble than last time. Her mind danced to how quickly Hubert had rushed to her side before the last battle, how delicately he placed her armor, and the electrifying brushes of his skin against hers as he fastened her armor. She moved into her closet to select a sword, and faltered at the sight of the Sword of the Creator. She felt a bit bad for leaving it here for so long collecting dust, but she still did not feel overly comfortable using it knowing how it was made. She selected a fine silver sword instead, sliding it into her scabbard. She was once again pulled into thoughts of the past.

_ “I don’t understand why you refuse to use the Sword of the Creator.” _

_ “I just am not comfortable with it. I can’t really explain why.” _

_ “Tch. Fine, if you insist on leaving it here then you should take this instead.” _

_ “The Sword of Moralta? Felix, I can’t…” _

_ “Take it. I won’t tell you again.” _

She shook her head, clearing away the vision of her past. She threw the saddle bags over her shoulder and walked quickly to the stables, where Frey chirped at her in greeting.

“Hey buddy! Ugh, I missed you.” Bylth cooed, hugging his snout as he rumbled against her. He eyed her warmly as she fastened her packs to his saddle. She frowned slightly, her father’s old and worn leather saddle bags looked so out of place next to Frey’s beautiful black tack. She hadn’t gotten the chance to appreciate it before, but it truly was a work of art. Delicate gold embroidery that matched the details on her own armor ran throughout the saddle and bridle, and beautiful golden tassels now hung from Frey’s chin. She patted Frey’s shoulder gently before climbing onto his back. She was not looking forward to being away from him during battle, but she was happy to at least have him along for the march. With a short whistle Frey took to the air, and he took his place above the army as they began their march to Ariarhod. 

Byleth entertained herself by eavesdropping on the conversations between the soldiers below her; apparently one soldier’s wife had fallen pregnant with a child that likely didn’t belong to the soldier. Another soldier passionately talked for a bit too long about how he had always pined for Edelgard, and Byleth laughed quietly to herself. She found herself particularly drawn to one soldier’s discussion on how he recently adopted an injured cat which he then nursed back to health, and how he was worried that his darling Whiskers would miss him while he was gone. Before long it was time to make camp for the night, and Byleth found herself less sore than she typically was after a long day’s flight, which she attributed to her new saddle and armor. After she settled Frey in for the night, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. Perhaps the day was more tiring than she anticipated. She walked to her tent in a bit of a stupor, and barely managed to get her armor off and get into her bedroll before she was pulled into a deep sleep.

The next day’s march passed similarly to the first, though the gossip was not nearly as juicy as it had been the first day. Byleth entertained herself by cloudgazing as she laid on Frey’s back; she even dozed off for a while. Now she felt like she was turning into Linhardt. Perhaps it was the nap she took, but Byleth still felt fairly energetic when it was time to make camp for the night. She once again got Frey settled for the night, and retired to her tent to oil Frey’s tack and her armor for a while before bed. She listened to the sounds around her as she worked, hearing the familiar glide of a whetstone along a blade coming from Ferdinand’s tent. The rhythmic grinding comforted her as she worked, and before she knew it she was almost done oiling her gear. As she set to work on the last piece of her armor, she heard two voices begin to converse quietly from Ferdinand’s tent. She set her armor down, moving to sit as close as possible to Ferdinand’s tent so she could listen in.

“You wanted to see me?” a male voice asked, almost too sweetly.

“Yes. I wanted to apologize for how I acted while the Professor slept. I should not have prevented you from seeing her like that. However, do not think I did not hear what you said to her during the battle. That was quite uncalled for and you know it.” Ferdinand answered, the gliding of the whetstone continuing as they talked. Byleth’s mind raced as she realized who Ferdinand was talking to.

“Perhaps. I admit I was a bit caught up in the heat of battle, but I was not wrong to scold her.” Hubert responded, acid in his tone.

“You know how deeply these battles affect our Professor. After all she has done for you and for all of us I believe she has earned a break from your scolding.”

“She is a fool, and she will not listen to any of us when we tell her she is behaving too recklessly. That is why I am going to protect her from now on.”

“Excuse me?” The sound of the whetstone stopped as Ferdinand’s anger rose.

“I said I am going to protect her. I will make sure her foolishness does not get anyone killed.”

“And what gives you the right to assign yourself to be her guardian? Why should it not be me?”

“You can’t change my mind. I have already spoken to Lady Edelgard about this matter and she agreed that I should be the one to watch over Byleth.”

“I fail to see the logic in this decision.”

“Both Lady Edelgard and the Professor know that I will do what must be done, no matter what. The same cannot be said about you.”

“I cannot say I am pleased about this, but I know I cannot change Edelgard’s mind about this decision, at least not for this battle. But trust me when I say that I will not be deterred, Edelgard will choose me to protect the Professor.”

“Suit yourself. Goodnight Ferdinand.”

A swish of fabric and the sound of footsteps alerted Byleth that Hubert had left Ferdinand’s tent, and she sat as still as she could manage while the sound of Hubert’s footsteps crossed in front of her tent. She let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding after his footsteps faded off into the distance. Well, that couldn’t have gone much worse. Ugh, why did she need a bodyguard now? Was she not capable of protecting herself? Did everyone see her as some impulsive child unable to control their actions? Perhaps that was why her students had become so attached to her as of late; they were basically babysitting her to make sure she didn’t do anything rash. Now she felt like Dimitri. She recalled how he acted each time she returned from her five-year slumber, and how she was constantly worrying about him running off to die a fruitless death in battle. Perhaps she was turning into Dimitri in a sense. Or at least that was how her students saw her. She drifted off into a fitful sleep filled with memories of a scorned, abandoned king driven feral.

The last day of marching brought with it a surge in anxiety, both within Byleth and the rest of the troops. One more night of camping and they would be at the doors of Arianrhod, the fortress that had never fallen. Byleth’s mind raced as Frey flew, memories of visits to the fortress with her friends in times of peace mixing with memories of liberating Arianrhod from the imperial army, led by a certain dark-haired mage. Byleth was relieved when the call to set up camp was echoed through the ranks; she desperately wanted to get out of her head.

Byleth fell into a lulling rhythm as she ran a whetstone along her silver sword, her mind drawn to past nights spent sharpening swords with Felix before tense battles. She was jolted out of her rhythm as Hubert approached her seat by the fire, his eyes softer than usual.

“Lady Edelgard requests your presence.” he said firmly, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he stared at her. She nodded firmly, packing away her whetstone and placing her sword back into its scabbard before following silently behind Hubert as they walked towards Edelgard’s tent. She so badly wanted to talk to him about what she’d overheard in Ferdinand’s tent, about their encounter in the sauna, about how he snuck into her room, but she knew such conversations would have to wait for a better time. They entered Edelgard’s tent to find her poring over a map of Arianrhod, her brow knit in worry.

“Professor, thank you for coming on such short notice.” Edelgard motioned them to sit with her at the strategy table, which was in its usual state of pre-battle disarray.

“Is something wrong?” Byleth asked, uneasy about Edelgard’s worried expression.

“We have just received word that reinforcements have arrived to Arianrhod from Fraldarius territory. It seems our movements were anticipated.”

“Perhaps our sweep of the monastery’s rats was not thorough enough.” Hubert said tensely, stroking his chin in thought.

“Whatever the case, this changes how we will proceed. While it has not been confirmed, it is likely that Felix Fraldarius was among the new reinforcements.” Edelgard leaned against the back of her chair, rubbing her temples. Byleth’s heart sank.

“This does complicate things. Such a decorated warrior as Felix cannot be underestimated.”

“I can handle Felix.” Byleth said firmly, though she knew that was not a guarantee in her current state.

“While I have no doubt of your abilities, I would like Hubert to assist you with handling Felix.” Edelgard ordered, earning a small smile from Hubert.

“Very well.” Byleth relented, sinking back in her chair.

“That brings the total number of commanders defending Arianrhod to five. Hm, it will be quite a battle.” Hubert said with a sigh, turning his attention to the map of Arianrhod.

“I believe if we split up our forces we will have a higher chance of success. We should select a small team of fighters to infiltrate the fortress from the side while the rest of our forces lead a head-on assault.”

“I agree, this strategy would be the most effective. What are your thoughts, Professor?” Hubert said, a hint of teasing in his voice.

“You’re right, Edelgard, we have to split up. Who will we send to the far side?”

“I will leave that decision up to you, my Teacher.” Edelgard said with a nod. “You need not answer right away, I would like to hear your decision in the morning.”

“Very well. If there is nothing else to speak about, I’m going to return to my preparations.” Byleth said, standing to leave.

“I will accompany you.” Hubert added, moving to stand beside her.

“Goodnight then Professor. Hubert.” Edelgard said with a nod of her head, returning to study the maps as Hubert and Byleth quickly stepped out of the tent. They walked back to Byleth’s previous seat by the fire in silence, and all Byleth could hear was the rushing of her pulse in her ears. Byleth removed her sword from its scabbard and unwrapped her whetstone before sitting down in front of the fire. Hubert stood in silence for a while, watching her as she settled in, before sitting down beside her with a sigh. She fought back a frown at the fact that he had chosen to sit an arm’s length away from her. Byleth could practically hear the steam coming out of Ferdinand’s ears at the sight of Hubert sitting beside her.

“Have you decided yet?” Hubert asked, breaking the silence. Byleth started her rhythmic gliding of the whetstone along her blade once more, a blush rising to her face.

“D-decided what?” she stammered, her pace with the whetstone faltering as her mind raced to thoughts of Hubert and Ferdinand fighting for her affection. It really was just like those trashy stories of love triangles and desperate pining that Dorothea loved to tell.

“About the battle, who will you send in the side group.” Hubert said tensely, staring into the fire. Oh. Byleth chastised herself for being drawn in by such frivolities; perhaps she had been spending too much time eavesdropping lately.

“Oh! Right. Well, I was thinking perhaps Dorothea and Caspar. They can slip through unnoticed, and they fight well together.”

“Hm, I don’t think Bernadetta will be very fond of that arrangement.” As much as Byleth hated to admit it, he was right.

“Well I need her with us to take care of Ingrid, she’s the best chance we have at taking Ingrid down before she can do real damage. Ingrid is a lethal fighter, we have to eliminate her quickly.”

“I agree. Why Dorothea instead of Linhardt? Would it not be better to have a strong healer with Caspar?”

“No, I need Linhardt with the main force of the army. I doubt we will get through Felix, Rodrigue, and Gwendal unscathed.”

“Dorothea is still a decent healer, we could make do.”

“Why are you so against me sending Dorothea and Caspar together?”

“I am merely looking out for Bernadetta.”

“I know you have a soft spot for her.”

“Tch.” He turned away from her, grumbling under his breath.

“You can’t hide everything from me, you know.” She leaned closer to him, egging him on.

“I beg to differ.” He turned back to face her with fire in his eyes, closing some of the distance he had put between them.

“Oh really? Are you saying you’re keeping some big secret from me that I don’t even have a chance of finding out?” She leaned in closer, smirking gently.

“With any luck, yes.” He leaned in again, and she could feel his breath on her face as he grinned.

“Ha! You’re fiery tonight.” She fired back, leaning in closer still.

“I could say the same about you.” He narrowed his eyes at her, still grinning as they continued to lean ever closer to each other. Hubert had a warm look in his eyes, drawing her in closer to him. Byleth tipped her head to the side slightly, her eyes fluttering shut as Hubert mirrored her movements. They leaned closer and closer, nearly touching, as Byleth’s pulse rushed in her ears. A log in the fire snapped loudly, and they both jolted back from each other, each blushing deep red. Hubert cleared his throat awkwardly, as Byleth bit her lip.

“Well, I had better turn in for the night. Big day tomorrow.” Byleth blurted out, jumping to her feet. Both Byleth and Hubert suddenly found the ground very interesting. “Okay, goodnight!”

She didn’t even wait for his reply as she took off towards her tent, clutching her sword tight in her hands. As soon as she stepped inside the tent she released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Her pulse rushed in her ears as she giggled to herself, biting her lip. Did that really just happen? Did she almost kiss Hubert? And did he almost kiss her back? Her stomach erupted into butterflies as she dropped onto her bedroll, burying her bright red face in the pillow. She set the sword gently beside her as she quickly tucked into her bedroll, her mind replaying the recent events on a continuous loop. Great, it was the night before a big battle and now she was going to be up all night dealing with butterflies. She did not know how long she laid there, her mind creating endless scenarios surrounding what might have happened if she had just leaned in a bit closer… Would he have gotten mad? Would he have kissed her back? Before long she heard the telltale chirping of birds around her as the sky started to brighten. Shit. She had no idea if she’d actually slept at all. She groaned deeply as she rubbed her eyes, already dreading the battle to come. She could only hope that Felix was not at his best today; she knew all too well how lethal he could be. 

She sat up with a sigh, stretching her arms high above her head. Her thoughts danced to memories of her beloved raven-haired swordsman and the beautiful times they had spent together, both as lovers and close friends. She always had a deep connection with Felix, and this lifetime was no different. They were constantly drawn to each other; Felix was familiar, constant, and reliable, no matter where her choices took her. She wondered what would have happened if she had asked him to join the Black Eagles back in their academy days; would he have abandoned his friends to fight beside her? Of course he would, but how would he deal with facing them in battle? Perhaps if she had recruited Sylvain too… Images of Sylvain and Felix growing old together flashed to her mind, and she shook the thought away. She was going to face both of them in battle, and she was going to take those futures away from them. Her determination faltered at the image of Sylvain’s warm honey eyes, and how softly they would look on her and on Felix. No, this was the path she had chosen and she could not turn away from it now, especially after all she had done to get here. She quickly stood and exited her tent, the cool morning air helping to clear her head. Today she would face Felix. She only hoped she would be ready for it.

-

Edelgard, Hubert, and Byleth stood shoulder to shoulder in the treeline, eyes wide as they surveyed the fortress city. Byleth clenched the handle of her blade as it rested in her scabbard, her tension rising with each passing minute. Edelgard was the first to break the silence, her worried expression betraying her steady voice.

“So this is the Silver Maiden... Seeing it with my own eyes, I finally understand its strength. Especially the fact that its strength is distributed across its frontal defenses.” Byleth and Hubert nodded in agreement, each evaluating the best manner of approach. “We'll attack the front and keep our enemy occupied while the others enter by the east gate.”

The three generals turned away from their scouting point, walking in silence back through the trees to where the rest of the army was waiting. Byleth could hardly focus as Edelgard briefed the troops on her plan, though Byleth couldn’t help but notice Bernadetta and Caspar’s unease at the thought of being so far away from each other. She knew that she had made the right call, but her conversation with Hubert weighed heavy on her mind. She only hoped that the lovers would remain strong and focused despite the distance between them. She fought back her rising suspicion as Dorothea and Linhardt shared an intense look at the news of their battle assignments. Edelgard continued her briefing, and Byleth found her eyes drawn to Hubert as he stood beside Edelgard. She quickly looked away when his chartreuse eyes met her own, fighting back the blush rising on her face. When Edelgard called for battle positions Byleth’s pulse began to rush in her ears as the world grew blurry around her. She placed a hand to her head as she stumbled slightly, only to be snapped back to reality as she collided with a solid chest.

“Feeling alright Professor?” Hubert purred, placing a firm hand on her upper arm to steady her.

“As well as I can be, I suppose.” Byleth admitted, giving him a weak smile. He narrowed his eyes slightly at her reply, and Byleth could sense the worry behind his neutral expression. “I’ll be alright, Hubert. Promise.”

“I suppose I will have to take you at your word, for now.” He released her arm, walking beside her as they joined Edelgard at the front of the army. They were in for a fierce fight, and the tension in the air was palpable as they began their march towards Arianrhod. Their pace quickened as they approached, and before long they were met with a hailstorm of arrows from high atop the fortress walls. Bernadetta and her battalion of archers took down the snipers with little trouble, and the march carried on. Before Byleth even had a chance to think the Fortress door had been broken down and soldiers from both sides surged around her. She cut down any who dared approach her with relative ease, much to her surprise and comfort. Through the masses of soldiers she spotted a familiar head of raven hair, and she could only watch in awe as he took down the soldiers who charged him. She nodded to Hubert and they jogged closer to him, Hubert ordering the soldiers to fall back from Felix as they approached. They stopped several feet away from him, and Byleth saw a stream of emotions run across Felix’s face as he eyed them up. His eyes locked onto Hubert, who readied a spell in his hand as they stared each other down.

“There you are, standing before me, ready for death. I will administer the finishing blow.” Felix called out, earning a slight chuckle from Hubert in response.

“So simple. Let’s get this over then, shall we?” Hubert called back, beginning to stalk closer to Felix. When Byleth followed behind him, Felix’s vermillion eyes finally met hers. She thought she saw them soften a bit.

“Part of me has been waiting for this since I met you.” He dropped into a ready stance, his blade poised to strike. “No need for chitchat. Come at me!”

Byleth exhaled sharply, clenching her sword in her hand as she charged Felix. The loud clang of their swords meeting nearly deafened her. They pushed off each other and Felix quickly jumped out of the way as Hubert fired a spell at his legs, though Byleth knew it was more of a warning than it was a real attack. They began to circle each other, harkening back to their many days spent sparring at the academy. This time, however, Byleth charged first. Felix parried her blow, returning it with a thrust of his own. She dodged backwards, regaining her balance before charging again. Each time one attacked, the other parried. They continued on this way for some time, each starting to tire slightly as they played out their deadly dance. Byleth found she was tiring much too quickly for her liking, and immediately began an aggressive attack. No matter which way she swung at him he was still prepared to block her blows, much to her frustration. She was really getting tired, and Felix could tell. He started an aggressive attack of his own, his sword flying through the air at breakneck speed. She couldn’t keep up. She cried out in pain as his blade sliced her thigh, sending her to her knees. Felix smirked, moving in for the final blow. Hubert screamed her name, but she had made her peace. She was bested. Felix raised his sword high above his head, and Byleth closed her eyes as he started to swing the sword down on her. But the blow never came. She opened her eyes as Hubert and Felix crumpled in front of her, each one felled by the blow of the other. Her eyes widened as they hit the ground, panic rising in her chest. She rolled Hubert to face her, only to find Felix’s sword protruding from his ribcage. Hubert coughed, a stream of deep crimson running down his cheek as the life faded from his eyes. 

No.

Byleth closed her eyes, grabbed hold of the strings of time, and pulled.

The loud clang of their swords meeting nearly deafened her. She and Felix pushed away from each other, and Felix quickly jumped out of the way as Hubert fired a spell at his legs. She turned to make eye contact with Hubert, nodding firmly at him. Hubert fired repeated spells at Felix, who dodged them all effortlessly. Hubert stopped his attacks as Byleth charged Felix, the force from her blow setting Felix off balance. Byleth jumped back as Hubert fired more spells at Felix, a few of them grazing his legs as he scrambled to dodge. Byleth charged again, and Felix was only able to dodge a few of her attacks before she swiped her sword solidly across his chest. Felix stumbled back, clutching his chest with a wince. Hubert fired another spell, hitting him square in the chest. Felix stumbled backwards, and another spell from Hubert brought him to his knees. Byleth approached Felix as he kneeled on the ground, his chest heaving as his eyes wandered the battlefield blankly. Deep crimson stained his scorched shirt, and Byleth gritted her teeth as she stood before him, readying her sword to deliver the final blow.

“I’m sorry.” she whispered, pulling her arm back as she dropped into a ready stance. She held her breath as she thrusted forwards, tears stinging her eyes. Everything seemed to slow around her as her sword inched closer to his chest. Felix locked his vermillion eyes onto hers. The tip of her blade made contact with his chest.

Time shattered around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back and thanks for reading! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was definitely a challenge to write. tune in next week for steamy times with mr. angy ;)
> 
> many many thanks and all my love to those of you who commented and left kudos, you folks make my whole week <3
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you next friday eve!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> psa: this chapter contains smut!! ;)

“Your Grace?” a servant called, poking her head tentatively through the door. Byleth looked up from her endless mountain of paperwork and nodded to the servant, who stepped fully into the doorway. “Duke Fraldarius has arrived, My Lady.” Byleth dropped her quill, her pulse rushing in her ears.

“Thank you for letting me know.” Byleth answered, practically jumping out from behind her desk. The servant bowed deeply and backed out of the room, and Byleth could hardly contain her smile as she fastened her scabbard around her waist. She sheathed a silver sword and fastened a dagger onto her hip, quickly securing a cloak around her shoulders as she dashed out of her office. The white cloak billowed behind her as she jogged through the halls, dodging servants and churchgoers as she made her way to the stables where she knew he would be waiting. She knew it might be a bit unbecoming for the archbishop to be running through the halls of the monastery, but her body continued to run towards the stables. Towards Felix. She rounded the corner by the graveyard and squinted towards the stables, desperate to catch a glance at the man who was waiting there for her.

A man dressed in blue stood in the middle of the stables, his back to her. Byleth broke into a sprint down the stone path, her loud footsteps letting Felix know exactly where she was. It would have been wiser to sneak up on him, take him by surprise, but she had missed him too desperately to attempt any such tactic. The rushing in her ears grew louder as she approached him, drawing her sword from its scabbard. He looked back over his shoulder at her, his eyes softening slightly at the sight of her bounding towards him. A small smile crept to his face as he unsheathed his sword, gripping it firmly in his hands. With a fierce battle cry Byleth swung her sword at him, and he deftly jumped out of the way, whirling around to face her as she readied her next blow. Their swords collided with a loud clang, the force from the impact rippling through them. They beamed at each other before pushing away, moving to circle each other. Felix charged her, bringing his sword down on her from above. She parried his blow and returned it with a swipe of her own, which he dodged easily. He charged her, swinging at her feet in an attempt to put her off balance. She leaped over his sword and swiped at him in retaliation, only for him to dodge once again. They continued their dance a while longer, but Byleth was growing tired. It was time to get aggressive. She charged him, swinging at him rapidly and from every direction. He blocked and parried all her blows, backing up as she continued her assault. Byleth moved in closer still, her attacks coming dangerously close to hitting Felix, though he continued to block and parry as best he could. She swiped at his face, and he leaned back to avoid it just as she kicked him squarely in the chest. He stumbled backwards, trying to regain his balance as she kicked him again, causing him to fall flat on his back on the dirt ground. She quickly kicked his sword out of his hand, then moved to straddle his waist. She held her sword tightly to his throat, her face inches from his as they both heaved from the effort. He raised his hands in surrender, and they both erupted into laughter, massive smiles on their faces. Byleth dropped her sword and embraced him tightly, tears pricking her eyes as she laughed into his shoulder. He wrapped a strong arm around her, burying his face in her neck. She could have stayed like this forever, but she knew that this was not the time or place for such shows of affection. She was the Archbishop, after all. She finally pulled back and stood up, offering him a hand to help him to his feet.

“You’ve been slacking on your training.” Felix chided with a small grin. Byleth pulled him to his feet with a grunt. She was tired.

“I am the Archbishop, Felix. I can hardly get away from my paperwork long enough to eat, much less train.” she replied, sheathing her sword and wiping sweat off her brow.

“Typical. I leave you here for a few months and you’ve gone soft on me.” Felix retrieved his sword from the ground, sheathing it in his scabbard.

“Hey, who won the fight?”

“Am I wrong?” Felix shot back, a sly smile on his face.

“Well no, but…” Byleth trailed off, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he chuckled. She sighed, shaking her head at him as she began to walk back to her office. He followed along behind her, their footsteps echoing off the walls of the monastery. Though, Byleth could barely hear them over her pulse rushing in her ears. When they at last reached her office, Felix made himself comfortable on the couch as Byleth returned her sword to its place on her weapons rack. Felix’s eyes grew wide as they settled on the mountain of paperwork piled on her desk.

“Tch. You weren’t kidding about that paperwork.” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. Byleth bit her lip as she sat down at her desk; she couldn’t deny that she was in over her head. “Why hasn’t Seteth helped you?”

“He has, trust me. He takes care of more paperwork than I do. It’s just hard right now, everyone needs assistance to recover from the war, and we’re stretched thin enough as it is…”

“It’s the same in Fraldarius territory. Feels like everyone needs something.”

“Right. I’m happy you’re here, it will be nice to have some company besides Seteth. He doesn’t seem to understand how hard this is for me.”

“He’s working you to death here." He paused, contemplating his next phrase. His eyes narrowed. "I wonder if he can’t see it or if he won’t see it.”

“Probably a little of both. It’s times like these I wish I could go back to being a mercenary, back like how it was before all this happened. Mercenaries don’t have to do paperwork.”

“You’d give all this up to be a mercenary again?”

“It’s not that I regret my decisions, I’m happy with how my life turned out. I just miss the freedom.”

“I see. You know, you could come with me to Fraldarius. Get away from all this.”

“I wish I could. I just don’t know if I can step away from the church right now.” She stood from her desk, crossing the room to sit beside Felix on the couch.

“I’m sure Seteth could manage for a few weeks on his own.”

“I don’t think he’d approve of a vacation. But perhaps if it was a diplomatic visit…”

“We could travel around the old Kingdom, visit our friends.”

“And I could use the trip as a way to see what’s really going on out there. It’s one thing to read reports, but another to see it in person.”

“I’m sure it would do the people good to see the Archbishop out and about.”

“Felix, you’re a genius! What would I do without you?” Byleth clasped his hands excitedly, squeezing them tightly.

“You’d be buried under a mountain of paperwork, growing soft.”

“I thought I was already soft?”

“You are. We should train before we depart.”

“I still beat you. Maybe you’re the one who’s soft.”

“Tch. You’re impossible.” He squeezed her hands gently, a smirk rising to his face. Byleth leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, and he sighed gently at the contact.

“Now I have to go see Seteth. Meet me in the training grounds?”

“Of course.”

-

“Your Grace, I must say that I do not approve of you traveling without the protection of the Knights.” Seteth’s face knit with worry as he regarded Byleth, perched atop her horse beside Felix.

“Seteth, Felix will be with me the entire time. Besides, you forget that I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.” Byleth smiled down at Seteth, who shook his head in annoyance.

“Very well. Be safe, both of you.” Seteth bowed deeply, and Felix and Byleth quickly bade him goodbye before turning their horses down the path out of the monastery. They rode in silence for a while, and Byleth couldn’t help but feel like she had a massive weight lifted off her shoulders.

“For a minute there I thought he wasn’t going to let you go.” Felix said with a small grin.

“Ha, I thought so too. I think he only went along with it because you were there.”

“Hm, perhaps. He worries too much.”

“You’re right, but I know he can’t help it.” Byleth said with a sigh, earning a grumble from Felix. They continued to ride in comfortable silence, and Byleth felt more relaxed than she had in months. “How long until we reach Fhirdiad?”

“Probably by the end of the day tomorrow or the next day, depending on how fast we move.”

When they finally stopped to make camp for the night, Byleth found herself quite sore after riding all day with few breaks. She could practically hear Seteth scoffing at her for sleeping in a tent instead of seeking out an inn, but she was happy to be back in her element. After dinner, she and Felix curled up by the fire, reminiscing about their journeys during the war, and how they had always ended up sitting by the fire together long after everyone else had turned in for the night. In fact, it was on a night similar to this one that she had finally realized the true depth of her affection for Felix as they chatted under the stars before their attack on Fort Merceus. Byleth leaned her head on Felix’s shoulder, and he wrapped a warm arm around her as the warmth from the fire fended off the cool night air.

“Do you remember what you told me before Merceus?”

“Hm?”

“You said that you never wanted to fight by anyone else’s side but mine.”

“I did.”

“Back then I thought you meant it was just because you could count on me always having your back.”

“You’re not entirely wrong.”

“So there was more to it?”

“Perhaps.”

“Oh come on, tell me!”

“Tch.”

“Please?”

“Fine. I trusted that you would always have my back. But I also wanted to make sure I was always there to watch yours. We had some close calls, too close…”

“I still can’t believe Sylvain took that attack for me. I thought we were going to lose him.”

“He’s an idiot.”

“Ha, harsh words about a man who isn’t here to defend himself.”

“He was an idiot then, and he’s still an idiot now. But honestly, had I been there I would have done the same.”

“Really?”

“Of course. You think I wouldn’t have?”

“No, I believe you. It’s just hard to wrap my head around the fact that so many people were willing to throw their lives away for me.”

“I’d still do it.”

“No way, I would never let that happen.”

“As if you have any say in it.” He stared deeply into the fire, his eyes fixed on the flames. Byleth pulled away from him, grabbing his chin in her hands and turning his head to look at her. Vermillion eyes stared deeply into hers.

“I would never let that happen. You mean too much to me.” She stared at him intensely, daring him to defy her. She softened a bit, pressing her forehead to his. “You mean everything to me.”

He pressed his lips firmly to hers, earning a small gasp from her. He continued his rough kiss until her head was nearly spinning, leaving both of them breathless when their lips finally parted. Byleth blushed deeply as her chest heaved, and she found herself entranced by the hungry look in Felix’s eyes.

Heat pooled in her core as he stared at her, undressing her with his eyes. She reached out to him, running her hands over his firm chest. He hummed in response, closing his eyes as she trailed her hands over his body. Her hands trailed ever lower with each stroke, and his eyes darted open as she reached the hem of his pants. His eyes burned into hers, pupils blown wide with desire. He crawled on top of her, pushing her to lay on her back beneath him. She parted her lips as she stared into his vermillion eyes as they glowed under the light of the moon. He leaned down to kiss her once more, his lips firm and hungry against hers. She moaned into the kiss, earning a throaty groan in response as he dove his tongue into her mouth. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he hovered over her, pulling his hips closer to rub against the heat pooling in her core. He sighed as his stiff member rubbed against her, the fabric creating a sweet friction between them. She took his face in her hands, and he nipped at her thumb as it grazed his lips, his gaze never straying from her eyes. He took one of her breasts in his hand, massaging it through the fabric of her tunic. She bit her lip as he squeezed the sensitive nub between his fingers, desire to have more of him consuming her. She pulled his tunic over his head and found herself entranced by his muscles as they rippled with his every movement. He pushed her tunic up, exposing her skin to the cool night air and the grass beneath her. She shivered, goosebumps raising on her skin wherever Felix was not touching her. He wasted no time in removing her pants and underwear, leaving her completely bare before him. His eyes panned lazily over her body, a smile rising to his face as he took her in. He hummed in approval before bending down to claim her mouth once more. 

She moaned into the kiss, her hands trailing down his body until she found the hem of his trousers. She removed them with as much grace as she could manage, which admittedly was not much, as Felix continued his dizzying kiss. They broke apart as his rock-hard member sprung free from his trousers, the tip already leaking precum. He stroked it lazily, a devilish grin rising to his face as she bit her lip at him. He took her hand in his, and pulled her to her knees as he moved to stand before her. She ran her hands along his thighs, earning small, breathy moans in response. She placed a tender kiss to his groin, and he sucked in his breath through his teeth. She smiled, moving to pepper his skin with kisses, but making sure to stay away from his throbbing member. He groaned, moving his hand to tangle in her hair as she continued her teasing. He grabbed a handful of her hair, earning a small moan from her as he guided her head to his painfully hard cock. She took the base of it in her hand, steadying it as she began to gently suck on the tip. He cursed under his breath at the contact, clutching her hair tighter as she began to work ever farther down his shaft. When she took in as much as she could, she began to suck, curling her tongue over his cock as she pulled back. He moaned loudly, his cock twitching as she worked it with her mouth and tongue. She began to increase her speed, and the intensity of his moans increased along with it. He added another hand to the back of her head, forcing her to take in more of his cock. She moaned along the shaft, wrapping an arm around his leg to steady herself as he moved her head. He began to thrust forward to meet her as she sucked, his long cock pushing back into her throat. She shut her eyes tight as tears formed, working her tongue around him as she fought back her gag reflex. He moaned ever louder, cursing as she worked him ever closer to the edge. He suddenly pulled back, his cock leaving her mouth with a small pop. Their chests heaved as they stared at each other, Felix releasing his hands from her hair. She hadn’t even had the chance to catch her breath before he was on top of her again, pushing her down onto her back as he kneeled between her legs. He ran his hands over her chest, rubbing and squeezing her breasts as she desperately tried to get her breathing back under control. He inched closer to her, lining his tip up with her dripping entrance. He hesitated, looking to her for permission which she gave gladly. In an instant he sheathed himself inside her, both of them crying out loudly into the night.

“Shit-” he cursed. “You’re so wet.”

“Mm, I missed you-” She cried out as he began to thrust into her. “Missed you so much…”

She trailed off into a loud moan as he buried himself inside her again, his cock stretching her out nearly to the limit. She wrapped her legs around his hips and threw her arms over his shoulders, pulling him ever closer to her. He attacked her lips once more, and she could feel the pure hunger and desire behind his kiss as he continued to thrust deep inside her. They broke apart with another moan as he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her, causing her to clamp down on him. He cursed again, throwing his head back as he continued his thrusts. She bit her lip, each thrust sending another wave of pleasure through her and pushing her ever closer to the edge. He took one of her breasts in his hand, pinching and rolling her pert nipple between his fingers. She cried out in pleasure, her legs shaking as she neared her limit.

“I’m close.” he whispered, continuing his relentless pace as her legs shook around his hips. His pace faltered as she began to clamp down around him, her orgasm about to spill over.

“Come for me!” she cried out as her vision swam, the waves of pleasure overwhelming all of her senses. He gritted his teeth, picking up his pace as he pushed them both over the edge. He pulled out of her at the last moment and she took him into her mouth, swallowing his load as it rushed into her mouth. She rubbed her clit as she sucked, drawing out both of their orgasms as long as she could. When she was at last satisfied, she pulled away from him as they both heaved from the effort. When their breathing finally returned to normal, he collapsed into the grass beside her. She nestled herself into his side and he wrapped his arm around her, the cool night air wrapping around them. They stared up at the night sky together, each one wrapped in the warm embrace of the other. Byleth did not know how long they laid together, bare beneath the night sky. When they at last moved into their tent, she curled herself up beside him once again and soon found herself pulled into a deep sleep.

-

“Professor! Felix!” Annette bounded down the street towards them, hair flying in the breeze. Byleth greeted her with open arms, wrapping Annette into a warm embrace. No sooner had Annette released Byleth, Felix found himself wrapped in a tight hug from Annette. He looked away, flustered, as his face turned light pink. Annette beamed as she released her grumpy captive.

“It’s so good to see you, Annette! Or I suppose I should be calling you Professor now.” Byleth said, linking Annette’s arm in hers as they walked together down the streets of Fhirdiad. Felix was relieved to have escaped the arm-linking, and happily followed behind them.

“Oh, come on Professor!” Annette giggled, biting her lip. “It’s so much fun being a teacher, my students are so incredibly smart. Oh! Would you and Felix come by my class while you’re here? My students never stop asking about you two.”

“Of course, I’d love to meet your students. What do you think Felix?” Byleth called back, giving him a warm glance over her shoulder. He sighed deeply before responding.

“Fine.”

“Ooh thank you, thank you! I’m so excited!” Annette squealed, practically jumping up and down. The trio rounded a corner and were surprised to find Dedue and Shamir inspecting some flowers through a store window. “Hey Dedue! Shamir!” Annette called, waving at the two stoic shoppers. Identical looks of surprise followed by joy crossed their faces as they regarded the approaching trio. Byleth quickly pulled Dedue in for a hug, and he wrapped a strong arm around her.

“It is good to see you again, Professor.” he said softly as Byleth released him.

“What are you doing outside the monastery?” Shamir asked, a small smile on her face.

“Officially, I am surveying the Kingdom and performing outreach for the Church.” Byleth responded, earning a raised eyebrow from Shamir. “In reality though? I was drowning in paperwork. I needed a break. So, here I am!”

“Huh, Seteth always did have a soft spot for you. Otherwise he’d never let you leave.” Shamir said with a chuckle.

“Hey, do you two want to come with us? We’re meeting up with some other friends at the Rose Tavern soon.” Annette interjected, wrapping her arm around Byleth’s once again. Shamir and Dedue looked at each other intensely, speaking without words.

“We would be happy to join you.” Dedue replied, earning a joyful squeal from Annette. Felix chuckled quietly from behind them. The five friends set out to the tavern, Annette providing a lively narration of her favorite shops along the way. Before long they reached the tavern, and Dedue held the heavy door open for them. Byleth quickly scanned the room, and her body flooded with warmth at the sight of Ingrid and Raphael chatting happily in a corner booth. Ingrid waved her over to the table, a massive grin on her face as the group approached. Byleth stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed who else was seated at the table.

“Caspar?”

“Hey Professor! Funny seeing you here!” Caspar said cheerfully, running a hand through his hair. Byleth couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as Annette happily sat down beside him. Dedue and Felix pulled another table over, and the friends all took their seats. Byleth was pleased to find that an ale was waiting for her on the table.

“Professor, it’s good to see you!” Ingrid said happily, beaming at her from across the table.

“I’m so happy you both could make it, I’ve really missed you two.” Byleth responded, earning a sheepish grin from both Ingrid and Raphael.

“Ingrid here’s been keeping me real busy. It’s tough work serving Dimitri.”

“How is Maya?” Byleth asked, taking a sip of ale.

“She’s great! She and my Grandpa have been running the inn together back in old Alliance territory.”

“I’m happy to hear it. I think I’ll have to pay them a visit sometime.”

“Really? They'd love to see you!” Raphael beamed as Byleth’s eyes wandered to Caspar, who had thrown an arm over Annette’s shoulders as they talked to Dedue and Shamir.

“So, do either of you know how that happened?” Byleth asked, nodding her head to the happy couple.

“If I’m remembering correctly, he rescued her when she was lost in the mountains. It was pure luck that he happened to be passing through. That was, what, six moons ago?” Ingrid asked, looking to Raphael for confirmation. She knitted her brow when he merely shrugged at her. “Nevertheless, it doesn’t look like he’ll be leaving anytime soon.”

“Tch. She’s lucky she didn’t freeze to death before he found her.” Felix added coldly, quickly returning to sipping his ale when two pairs of hard eyes landed on him.

“I think it’s lovely. They can both look out for each other.”

“I agree, it’s nice to have a partner to watch out for you.” Ingrid said, her eyes meeting Raphael’s before they both looked away with a blush and a smile. The friends chatted for a few hours more, catching each other up on all they had been doing since they had left the monastery nearly a year ago. Before long it was time for the group to part ways; Dedue and Shamir opting to walk with Byleth and Felix to the castle. As the sun hung low in the sky, Byleth breathed a sigh of relief. She was so content to be surrounded by her friends again, and to know that so many of them had found partners was a great relief. Her hand brushed against Felix’s as they walked, and each touch sent electricity coursing through her body. When they reached the entrance to the castle, Shamir and Dedue bid them farewell before slipping off into the night. Felix grabbed Byleth’s hand in his own, squeezing it gently before releasing it to open the massive doors. A servant led them through the halls of the castle; it was much more lively than when Byleth had been here last. The servant ushered them inside a study, where King Dimitri met them with a warm expression and open arms. Byleth wrapped him in a tight hug, and he embraced her gently.

“I missed you so much Dimitri.” Byleth murmured against his chest, earning a quiet sound of annoyance and distaste from Felix. When they finally pulled away, Felix made sure to catch her eye, a hard expression on his face.

“It is good to see you both. Please, have a seat.” Felix and Byleth sat on a plush couch while Dimitri settled back into his chair. “I regret that I have not visited the monastery, things have been quite busy here. In addition to restoring the Kingdom, I have also begun looking into some of our former enemies. Do you remember Cornelia?”

“How could I forget?” Byleth replied, shuddering at the thought of her Titanus and the death and pain they caused.

“I have been looking into her and her allies, as I have reason to believe they had a hand in the Tragedy of Duscur. I admit I have had some help-”

“Some?” a voice called from high above them, startling both Byleth and Felix as they scanned the room. Wheels rattled on the floor as a tall ladder slid into view. Hapi leaned off the top of the ladder, a large book nestled in the crook of her arm. Byleth chucked to herself at the utter shock on Felix’s face.

“Forgive me, Hapi. I had quite a bit of help.” Dimitri chuckled as Hapi climbed down from the ladder, placing the book beside others on a nearby table.

“That’s more like it. Good to see you, Chatterbox.” Hapi said with a smile, crossing the room to sit in a chair beside Dimitri. The four friends spoke late into the night about Hapi’s discoveries about Those Who Slither In The Dark, the affairs of the Kingdom, and memories of their times together at the academy. Dimitri blushed particularly hard when Hapi mentioned his attempt at needlework with Mercedes, and Byleth got a good laugh out of the mental image of Dimitri snapping needles in half. Before long it was time to turn in for the night, and Dimitri insisted that Felix and Byleth stay as his guests in the castle despite Felix’s insistence that they would be fine in the Fraldarius townhouse. Felix grumbled especially hard when Byleth took Dimitri’s arm as he escorted them to their room. When it was time for them to part, Dimitri gave Byleth an enchanting, warm smile, and Byleth found herself dazed in spite of her better judgement. She couldn’t help but notice that warm smile fall as Dimitri realized that Felix intended to stay the night with Byleth. No sooner had the door been shut behind them did Felix start voicing his complaints about the King’s actions.

“What does that Boar think he’s doing?” Felix spat, storming across the bedroom to stare angrily out the window.

“What do you mean?” Byleth asked, wanting desperately to wrap her arms around him.

“What do I mean? I’m talking about how he was acting! How he was looking at you all night! It’s not right.”

“I’m sure he meant no harm by it.”

“Hmph.”

“Look, Dimitri and I are friends, nothing more.”

“Are you sure he sees it that way?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know?” Felix spat, turning to glare at her as she lingered just out of his reach. She hesitated, biting her lip as she mulled over her next sentence.

“I didn’t want to tell you this, I knew it would upset you and I didn’t want you to do anything rash. The war had just ended and everyone’s emotions were high and…” Byleth trailed off, moving to sit on the edge of the bed with a sigh.

“And?” Felix snapped, his stern gaze unwavering.

“He came to see me the night before he left for Fhirdiad. He confessed that he had feelings for me.”

“Tch.”

“I turned him down, of course.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I said that my heart belonged to another.” Byleth noticed Felix’s expression soften.

“And did he believe you?”

“Yes.”

“If that’s true then he has no excuse acting like that after you told him you weren’t interested. Especially in front of me.”

“I don’t know if he’ll actually give it up until he sees that we are committed to each other.”

“Wait, he doesn’t know?...”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” he demanded, anger fresh on his face.

“Felix, you had only proposed to me two days before he confessed his feelings. Plus, to be fair, we still haven’t announced our engagement to anyone except Sylvain and Ingrid.”

“So what, you want to tell everyone in the damn country just so the Boar will back off?”

“I’m not saying we have to tell anyone at all. I can talk to Dimitri again if you’d like.”

“Hm.”

“Come on Felix, I know you’re upset about this. If you don’t want me to talk to him we could always do something else.”

“Like what?”

“How far away from his room are we right now?” she asked, biting her lip suggestively. Perhaps it was foolish, but seeing him so possessive and flustered was just so hot.

“Not far, down the hall perhaps?” Byleth noticed his face starting to flush as she started to crawl on her hands and knees across the bed towards him. “What-what are you planning?” She kneeled behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest as he leaned back into her.

“It’s probably a bit childish but…” she trailed off, nipping at his earlobe as her hands began to wander over his chest. His breathing quickened as he groaned quietly.

“Shit…” he cursed, quickly turning to pull her into a dizzying kiss. His kisses were much more aggressive than they had ever been before, and Byleth loved it.

He pulled her flush to his body by the hem of her shirt, his kiss making her head spin as his tongue danced with hers. She moaned into the kiss and he moaned back quietly. She pulled back suddenly, regarding him with a coy smile.

“Come on now, we’re not going to send any messages by being that quiet now are we?” she teased, biting her lip as his pupils blew wide with desire.

“Don’t tempt me.” he growled, pulling her closer to his chest. She sighed gently, running her hands over his back.

“Oh, I think I will.” she shot back, earning a dark chuckle from Felix. In one swift motion, he lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his hips with a giggle. He placed her onto the bed while he bent over her, sucking bruises onto her neck as she moaned his name. He made quick work of her clothes, leaving her bare before him as he devoured her with his gaze. Her cheeks flushed under his intense stare, and she squirmed slightly on the bed. He quickly grabbed her wrists, pinning her back down to the bed. She thrusted her hips up, desperate for some contact against the growing heat in her core. He chuckled, sliding a knee between her legs for her to rub against. He latched onto one of her nipples and she cried out as he nipped and sucked at the hard nub, his hands still holding her firmly onto the mattress. He brought her hands together over her head and held them both in one hand as he removed his belt. She squirmed and moaned breathlessly as he secured her hands together above her head before he began to run his fingertips gently down her sides. Every touch set her body on fire, and she needed him more than she ever had before. His hands trailed ever lower as he watched her writhe beneath him. At last he began to massage her clit, gently rubbing circles over the sensitive nub. She moaned his name loudly, which only seemed to incite him further. He rubbed her clit harder, faster, as she cried out his name. He slid a finger into her dripping cunt and she saw stars, groaning loudly at the new and delicious pressure. He began to slide his finger in and out, each time curling his fingers to hit that most sensitive spot deep in her pussy. She cried out his name again, and was met with another finger in her cunt. She tugged against the restraints, wanting nothing more than to touch him as he worked her into a stupor. He smirked at her feeble attempt at freeing her restraints, and added a third finger to her soaked pussy. She moaned louder than she had before, and her legs began to shake from the pleasure. He worked her towards the edge, skillfully drawing her ever closer to an orgasm. At last he pushed her over the edge, and she cried out his name as she saw white.

He removed his fingers from her and brought them to her lips. She sucked her juices off them with a moan, and his erection strained ever harder against his pants. He pulled his fingers out of her mouth with a pop, and stepped back to remove his clothing as she watched with hungry eyes. She let out a breathy moan as his rock-hard cock sprung free from his trousers, the heat in her core beginning to pool once more. He approached her again, kneeling on the bed between her legs as she bit her lip at him. She wanted so badly to touch him, but she knew he was in charge tonight. He grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed and lifted her hips as he slid it underneath her. She opened her legs wide as he settled between them, lining his tip up with her dripping entrance. He slid into her slowly, each of them moaning ever louder with every movement as he sheathed himself inside her. She cursed as he bottomed out inside her, stretching her out completely. When he was satisfied that she had adjusted, he began to fuck her; slowly at first but picking up speed and intensity with each measured thrust. She moaned beneath him, and he moved to play with her breast as he fucked deep inside her. He groaned in return, his hips clapping against hers as he unraveled her beneath him. Her moans hit a new pitch as he fucked her ever harder, pinching her nipple tightly in his fingers. When she was just about to fall apart, he stopped his thrusting, earning a disappointed whine from her as she squirmed beneath him.

“Get on your hands and knees.” he ordered, sliding his throbbing cock out of her pussy. She happily obliged, dropping to her elbows before him as she thrusted her ass high into the air. He groaned at the sight of her, roughly grabbing her ass as she wiggled it, teasing him. He brought his hand down on her ass with a loud smack, and she cried out in pain and pleasure. He rubbed the sensitive skin as she hissed before bringing his hand down on her once again. She cursed under her breath, but she did not pull away from him. He spanked her again, and this time she cried out his name. Perhaps it was time to play it up. He lined his tip up with her entrance and sheathed himself inside her in one swift motion, each of them crying out the name of the other as they reveled in the tightness of her pussy around his cock. He began to fuck her, hard and fast right from the start this time. She cried out as his hips slapped against her ass, the sound echoing throughout the room. The bed creaked beneath them as he slammed into her, the sound mixing with their labored breaths and moans as they lost themselves to pleasure. She moaned his name as he groaned, bringing his hand down firmly on her ass. They both moaned as her pussy clamped down on him, and it took all of his strength not to lose it right then and there. He continued to fuck her into the mattress, wrapping a hand in her hair as he brought the other down firmly on her ass. She nearly screamed his name, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. He tugged on her hair as he continued his brutal pace at her pussy, and she cried out once more from the pain and pleasure. She lost all sense of time as he fucked her, his brutal pace pushing her ever closer to the edge. His pace faltered as he groaned, bringing his hand down on her ass once more.

“I’m gonna-” he grunted, his thrusts becoming sloppy. She moaned in response, teetering on the brink of ecstasy. His cock hit the sensitive spot deep inside her, and she lost all self-control. She cried out his name as her pussy clamped down on his throbbing cock, sending him tumbling over the edge after her. He buried himself deep inside her, moaning her name as he spilled his seed into her. He held himself there as they both heaved, gradually coming down from their highs. He finally slid out of her gently and she collapsed beneath him, still breathing hard into the mattress. He removed the belt from her wrists with shaking hands before he collapsed onto the bed beside her. She took his hand in hers as they both tried to return their breathing to normal. When they at last could breathe again, she turned to face him with a warm smile. He smiled back at her, blushing slightly at the thought of what they had just done.

“Shall we go take a bath?” she suggested, rubbing her thumb over his hand. He nodded, moving to stand beside the bed on shaking legs. She stumbled as she stood beside him, and he wrapped his arm around her to support her as they made their way to the bathroom. They really just did that. He smiled down at her as they walked, and she could tell by the blush on his cheeks that he was thinking the same thing. She leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek, which only turned his face a deeper shade of pink. They both laughed loudly; they really did just do that. Was it childish? Perhaps. But did they care? Of course not. Perhaps tomorrow morning would be a bit awkward, but it was a price they would pay a million times over to have another night like this.

-

“Mother? May I come in?” A young man with long raven hair and olive green eyes regarded Byleth curiously as she sat behind her desk.

“Of course Lucian. You know you don’t need to ask to come in.” Byleth put down the letter she was reading, only for her son to hand her another. She raised her eyebrow at the familiar crest on the seal. “This letter is from House Gautier.”

“Wait! Um, before you open it, I wanted to tell you something…”

“Yes?”

“While I was out on assignment the past few moons, I reconnected with an old friend of mine.” he blushed, and Byleth had a feeling she knew where this was going. “Do you remember Cierra?”

“How could I forget her? You two were always so close when you were younger.” Byleth laughed at the memories of their visits to Gautier territory, and how Lucian would always run ahead to meet Cierra.

“Yes, we fell out of touch when she went to school in Fhirdiad. But we just happened to run into each other while I was about halfway through my mission, and she ended up traveling with us for the rest of the time.”

“Hm, I don’t recall reading about that in any of your letters…” Byleth quipped, shooting him a knowing grin. He rubbed the back of his neck as he blushed.

“Sorry about that, I was just worried you and Father might be upset.”

“Lucian, you’re 22 years old. You can do whatever makes you happy, as long as you are being safe.”

“She makes me happy, Mother.” he smiled warmly, and Byleth couldn’t help but smile with him.

“So, I take it you traveled to Gautier territory to talk to the Margrave about this?”

“Yes, and he approved of our union. We just need Father’s approval to make it official.”

“So why come to me if you need his approval?”

“I’m no fool.”

“Ha, that’s true enough. Are you saying I’m too soft?”

“No! Never! I’m just saying you’re easier to… reason with.”

“Sweetie, if this is what you both want and Sylvain has already approved there is no way your Father would say no.”

“You’re sure?” He looked like he was about to burst with excitement, and Byleth heard someone gasp quietly from the hall.

“Yes. I take it she is here with you?” Byleth asked, earning a sheepish grin and a blush from her son. He stepped aside as Cierra entered, and Byleth had to cover her mouth to hide her shock. She looked just like her mother, aside from her shock of deep red hair.

“Lady Byleth, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Cierra said with a deep curtsey, her voice just as soft and warm as her mother’s.

“Cierra! My, how you’ve grown. I trust my son took good care of you on your journey?”

“Yes, Lucian was very kind and brave. It was a good thing he found me when he did, my horse had been spooked by a storm and ran off. Luckily, he caught it and returned it to me, otherwise I’d probably still be out in the storm.”

“Nonsense, you’re a bright young girl who can handle herself. Don’t sell yourself short, my dear.” Byleth said with a smile, earning a small blush from Cierra.

“Mother, do you know where Father is?”

“Hm, knowing him he’s either out training or drilling the knights. I can go find him and speak to him if you’d like.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I assume Cierra will be staying with us for a while. While I talk to your Father you should have a room made up for her.”

“Of course.”

“Both of you, please join us for dinner tonight. We can discuss logistics better as a group.” Byleth stood, tucking the letter into her coat as she headed out of the room. As soon as she left, she could hear Lucian and Cierra talking excitedly in the study, and she couldn’t help but shake her head at them. She quickly made her way to the training grounds, and was greeted with a familiar sight. Felix slashed at a training dummy intently, his hair flowing around him as he worked. Byleth snuck closer to him, hiding behind a weapons rack as he continued his training, oblivious to the world around him. She crouched low to the ground, silently stalking around towards the side of the training ring as he continued to slash at the dummy. She readied a fire spell in her hand, smirking as she took aim.

“Hey.” she called out. He whipped around to look at her, and she quickly shot the fire spell at him. He rolled out of the way with a smirk as she readied another spell. She began to circle him, firing spell after spell at him, which he dodged with ease. He readied his sword in his hand, charging her as she continued her barrage of spells. He moved with grace and speed, and she was enraptured by him as he drew ever closer, his raven hair flying with each dodge. She fired a few more spells at him in vain as he slipped behind her, pressing the cold steel of his sword to her neck. Byleth raised her hands in surrender with a chuckle, and Felix spun her around quickly, planting a firm kiss to her lips.

“Hey.” he echoed back, smiling at her as she placed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“Sorry for interrupting your training.”

“I was almost done anyways. Is something going on?” he asked, releasing her to place his sword on the rack.

“Yes, why don’t we discuss this in our room.” Byleth suggested, earning a knowing smile from Felix. “Hey now, this is strictly business.”

“Hm, are you sure?” he prodded, practically undressing her with his eyes.

“Yes, my love, I’m sure. Now come on.” She turned away from him, walking briskly to their bedroom. When the door to their bedroom was finally shut behind them, Byleth couldn’t help but let out a high-pitched giggle as she did a little happy dance. Felix raised an eyebrow at her antics.

“What’s gotten into you?” he asked, moving to lounge on the bed.

“I’m sorry, I’m just so excited! Lucien came home today.”

“Is that all?”

“No! He was acting all nervous, which I thought was totally weird.” she gushed, starting to pace in front of the bed as Felix watched with a small grin.

“Nervous? Why?”

“Would you let me finish?”

“Sorry.”

“Anyways, he was acting nervous and he handed me this letter.” Byleth pulled the letter out of her coat and handed it to Felix, whose eyes narrowed at the Gautier seal.

“Sylvain sent this?”

“Yes, I haven’t opened it yet though.”

“You’re this worked up about a letter from that idiot?”

“Ugh, no! Let me finish!”

“Okay, okay.” He raised his hands in surrender as she began to pace again.

“Do you remember Sylvain and Mercie’s oldest daughter, Cierra?”

“I think so. She went to Annette’s school, right?”

“Yeah, that’s her. So anyways, while Lucien was out on his mission around the territory he apparently ran into her, and she decided to travel on his mission with him.”

“Really?”

“I’ll admit, I’m a little hurt that he didn’t tell us, but I understand. He said the two of them grew very close when they were traveling together.”

“Hm, I was wondering why he was so late.”

“Well, apparently they went to Gautier territory and got Sylvain’s blessing!”

“So they’re going to get married?”

“I know it seems a little sudden, but they were so close when they were younger, and now fate has brought them back together! Isn’t it wonderful!” Byleth practically threw herself on top of Felix, wrapping him in a hug as he chuckled softly at her.

“Let me guess, he needs my blessing as well?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her. She nodded against his chest and he sighed. “You know this means we have to see that big idiot even more now.”

“Oh come on, I know you miss Sylvain.”

“Tch, hardly.”

“So, what do you think the letter says?”

“Probably something stupid about how we’re all one big family now. Ugh.”

“Ha! He would say something like that. Open it!” She rolled off of Felix and he opened the letter, holding it so they both could read it.

_ Duke and Duchess Fraldarius, _

_ So, it seems our children want to get married! Not as though I didn’t see that one coming from a mile away. I gave Cierra and Lucien my blessing to get married, and I trust you will do the same. Though I have to admit this is all just a ploy so that I can spend more time with the lovely Duchess. Hope to hear from you soon. _

_ -Sylvain _

_ Felix and Byleth, _

_ I hope this letter finds both of you well. I can’t tell you how happy I was to hear that Cierra and Lucien were able to reconnect, and I was even happier to hear that they want to get married! I know Cierra will fit right in with your family, just as Lucien already fits into ours. Let’s all get together sometime soon to discuss things, I have so much I want to talk to both of you about! I hope to hear from you soon. _

_ Best, _

_ Mercedes _

“So, it seems we’ll be adding a Gautier to our ranks.” Felix said, closing the letter and setting it on the bedside table.

“So you approve then?” Byleth bit her lip as she beamed at him, and his eyes softened at her expression.

“Of course I approve.”

“Oh, Felix! This is so exciting! You should have seen the way he looked at her, it reminded me so much of you back when you finally…”

“Finally what?”

“Don’t you remember the day you dragged me down to the training grounds?”

“Hm.”

“You practically threw this ring at me, then you pinned me against a pillar…”

“And?”

“You’re a real romantic, you know that?”

“That’s what I hear.” He smirked at her, and she leaned in to plant a firm kiss to his lips.

-

Felix watched as Byleth skipped stones across a brilliant blue lake. He had lost track of where they were, but he believed it was somewhere in old Empire territory. He scraped a bit of blood off his armor; parting gifts from a band of thieves they had recently dispatched. Byleth threw stone after stone, each one skipping far out into the lake before finally sinking beneath the surface. His joints creaked as he stood, and he rolled his ever-stiff shoulder as he approached her.

“You okay?” he asked, standing beside her as she hurled another stone into the lake. She was silent for a while, and he knew the answer to his question.

“Do you think we should have stayed?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You know why.” she said coldly, fully throwing the next rock into the lake. He clenched his jaw, images of his son and daughter-in-law flashing to his mind. No, his son and his former daughter-in-law.

“Maybe we could have changed things. Stopped them.”

“No, we couldn’t.”

“You don’t know that!” she cried, dropping to her knees.

“Yes I do. We had no way of knowing.” He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I could have changed things.”

“How?”

“Never mind.”

“This wasn’t our fault, Byleth. You know that.” She was quiet for a while, and he could feel her shaking under his hand.

“She-she didn’t deserve it…” Byleth stammered, her voice thick with tears.

“No, she didn’t.”

“We should be there for Lucien, he needs us.”

“We can go back now, if you want.” She nodded, forcing her emotions back down. She stood abruptly and turned away from the lake, striding towards the treeline. He jogged to catch up to her, and took her hand in his own. She squeezed his hand tightly. They packed their belongings quickly, moving to fasten them to their horses when Byleth stopped suddenly.

“What if we’re too late? What if he doesn’t want to see us?”

“We won’t be too late.”

“Considering how horribly slow word spreads around here, it may well have already been a moon since she was…” she trailed off, hugging her pack tight to her chest. He placed a hand on her back gently, and she shut her eyes tight.

“We should go back to Fraldaruis. Lucien will understand.” he said gently, rubbing his thumb on her back. She nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before strapping her pack onto her saddle. She quickly mounted her horse, taking the lead as they turned their horses towards Fraldarius territory. They rode in silence as her thoughts swam; she knew the pain of losing a loved one, and she wouldn’t wish it on her worst enemy. She wished she could take her son’s pain away, wished she could use the Goddess’s power to turn back the hands of time once more, but she knew that there was no hope of saving someone so far away. Her hands shook as she held the reigns, and she was suddenly aware of how truly quiet it was. No birds were chirping, no animals were rustling the leaves, not even the wind moving through the trees. All she could hear was the sound of hoofbeats and jingling tack. It was unsettling. A twig snapped deeper in the woods, and she quickly turned her head to investigate. She grumbled to herself; perhaps she was just imagining things. She turned back to look at Felix, who was staring intently at her. She smiled at him slightly, and her heart dropped into her stomach. Her eyes widened as she heard the telltale whizzing of an arrow flying towards them. She locked her eyes with Felix’s. The arrow connected with a thud.

  
  
  
  


Time began again.

Byleth’s sword plunged deep into Felix’s chest, and his eyes bulged as he was jolted from the impact. She pulled her sword back, and it brought with it a line of deep crimson. Felix’s eyes locked onto hers as he collapsed onto the ground. She dropped her sword, moving to kneel beside his head as he took his last labored breaths.

“I failed…” he rasped, his eyes scanning the sky rapidly. He coughed splotches of crimson, and with one last breath he was gone. Tears stung her eyes, and she could feel the world closing in around her. Hubert’s hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her pain.

“Professor, we must keep moving.” Hubert said firmly, squeezing Byleth’s shoulder gently. She took a shaky breath before she stood, sheathing her sword with an empty look in her eyes. “Professor?” he asked, worry and fear rising in his chest. She looked right through him.

“We must keep moving.” she echoed, stiffly marching deeper into the fortress. She cut down any soldier who dared to cross her path with a cold demeanor Hubert had not seen in many years. They managed to catch up with Bernadetta and Edelgard as the two warriors battled a massive monster of metal, which Byleth felled with one well-placed thrust of her sword. Hubert looked to Byleth’s face for any signs of emotion, but found none. His heart dropped into his stomach. Had he pushed her too hard? The flapping of wings drew him out of his thoughts as Ingrid charged them, her relic glowing red in her hands. Bernadetta was ready, and Ingrid fell just as quickly as she arrived. Her cries as she fell made Hubert wince, but Byleth remained cold as stone. His heart stopped as an enemy archer loosed an arrow towards her. She sidestepped it at the last moment, but she was not fast enough. The arrow grazed her cheek, leaving a thin line of crimson in its wake, and his blood boiled as he felled the archer with a Miasma spell. Byleth raised a hand to the incision, and regarded her crimson-stained fingers with an unsettling blank expression. Linhardt was at her side in an instant, and the cut was healed as quickly as it had been formed. Byleth continued on to face another Titanus that was giving Caspar and Dorothea some trouble, and Hubert followed closely behind her. He was uneasy, and found himself losing his focus on the battle as they marched towards the metal beast. She barely looked at her students as she charged the Titanus, lashing at it with a cold, hard expression. Dorothea caught Hubert’s eye, and they shared a look of concern as they regarded Byleth. Before long, the beast’s armor was broken and Byleth skewered it through its core. She flicked a blue-black liquid off her blade and continued on up the stairs, her students regrouping behind her. Her hand tightened around her sword as Cornelia came into view.

“Oh my, what a charming guest. Let me take care of you…” Cornelia said with a chuckle, ordering her remaining two guards forward. Byleth felled one with a quick slash of her sword as Edelgard sunk her axe into the other. Edelgard looked to Byleth for some kind of reassurance or confirmation, but Byleth looked right through her. Byleth charged Cornelia, dodging spell after spell hurled by the older mage. Her students watched with unease as Byleth felled Cornelia with several well-placed blows, her neutral expression unyielding. Cornelia crumpled to the ground with a cough.

“Gah! So this is as far as I could get…” Cornelia wheezed. “Ah... All is in accordance with this carefully crafted script of ours…” Byleth turned away, sheathing her sword. “What a masterpiece! What a delightful dance…”

Byleth strode away, and her students parted as she neared them. She walked through them without so much as a glance to any of their concerned faces. Edelgard swallowed hard, her brow knit with concern. This was supposed to be a time of celebration of victory, but she couldn’t help but worry about how much this victory had cost.

“Victory is ours! Arianrhod has fallen!” Edelgard called out, trying in vain to mask the sadness in her voice. Her classmates nodded solemnly, each wearing a downcast expression. Hubert dismounted his horse, moving to stand beside Edelgard as they surveyed the fortress. He clenched his jaw at the sight of Ferdinand staring longingly after Byleth as she stiffly walked towards the exit of the fortress.

“Perhaps we should take some time to ourselves.” Hubert suggested, earning a grumble of agreement from his comrades.

“Very well. We will reconvene at camp in two hours.” Edelgard said firmly. Hubert remained by her side as the group broke off into pairs, each person taking solace in the company of another. “Do you think we should tell the Professor?”

“Hm, perhaps. If we ask her to meet with us I have no doubt she will be there. But she might benefit from some time away from our classmates.”

“I would prefer if she was not left alone, though. I am concerned about her.”

“As am I.”

“Would you mind looking after her, Hubert? If not, I can ask Ferdinand.”

“No.” he blurted, immediately cursing himself for being so rash “I will watch over her.”

“Very well. Take care, Hubert.” He bowed to her deeply before mounting his horse and riding out of the fortress. He winced as he passed a raven-haired body being moved onto a wagon by the soldiers. He could only imagine what Byleth had felt as she walked past. His mind was running a mile a minute, and it took all of his strength not to charge his horse directly to her tent. He clutched the reins tightly in his hands, and his horse snorted underneath him. He knew his mood was affecting his horse, but he couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that had taken root in his stomach. When he at last reached camp, he quickly handed his horse off to a stablehand and strode towards Byleth’s tent with all the restraint he could muster. His heartbeat only quickened as he approached, but the sight of Ferdinand standing beside her tent sent his heart plummeting into his stomach. He stopped dead in his tracks. Ferdinand looked up from where he stood, and Hubert found himself slightly amused at Ferdinand’s barely-concealed scowl.

“What are you doing here?” Ferdinand spat as Hubert regained his momentum towards Byleth’s tent.

“I could ask the same of you.” Hubert replied, lacing his tone with as much acid as he could muster. Ferdinand’s rage burned.

“I am here to watch after Byleth.” Ferdinand replied, forcing a tight smile.

“Your services are no longer required, then.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You are free to go.”

“You do not dismiss me.”

“Oh, yes I do.”

“Tch. I will not leave you to scold her again.”

“Who said I was here to scold her?”

“It seems all you see fit to do is scold her when she is clearly suffering. I will not leave you here with her. You cannot give her what she needs.”

“Oh? So you claim to know what she needs without even asking her? I was not aware you are omniscient.”

“I will not play these childish games with you, Hubert. Leave.”

“No Ferdinand, you are the one who is going to leave.”

“Do you think you can make me?”

“Yes. But to save your pride, I will tell you that my orders come directly from Her Majesty.” Hubert grinned as Ferdinand’s resolve faltered.

“Nevertheless, I will not stand idly by while you scold her. I may not be able to read her mind, but we both know she needs comfort.”

“And you think she’d want comfort from you?” Hubert spat. Ferdinand opened his mouth to retort, but Hubert cut him off. “I am already aware of your respite in Derdriu, so you can wipe that foolish grin off your face.” Ferdinand’s bravado fell away, and he looked at the ground in defeat. “I suggest you take some time to yourself to consider if you truly want to have this fight. Good day, Ferdinand.”

“Hubert.” Ferdinand said stiffly, striding away from the tent. Hubert held out his hand to open the door, but hesitated at the sound of movement inside.

“Professor?” he called gently, but heard no response. “Byleth, I will remain here for a while. Please let me know if you need anything.” He turned away from the tent, standing in front of the door with his arms crossed in front of his chest. His face burned with rage and embarrassment; he couldn’t believe Ferdinand had the gall to challenge and defy him so openly, especially with Byleth so close. He shook his head and sighed, he knew it was no good to have two of the army’s primary commanders at odds, but he couldn’t shake away his rage at the thought of Byleth in Ferdinand’s arms. A small tug on the back of his cloak pulled him out of his head, and he whipped around to find a blank-faced Byleth behind him. She took him by the hand, pulling him into her tent. His heart raced. He hesitated for a moment, but relented as she continued to tug on his hand. When the tent was closed behind them, Byleth collapsed onto her bedroll, curling up into a tight ball. Hubert sat beside her, wanting nothing more than to reach out and comfort her. She stared ahead blankly, a cold and numb feeling wrapping around her. She reached out her hand, and was surprised when he took it in his own. She focused on the warmth from his hand, it was the only thing she could feel. He rubbed his thumb along her knuckles, and she closed her eyes. Before long, she fell into a deep and cold slumber; anchored only by the warmth of Hubert’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooooh baby a ....double? smut so nice i wrote it twice? a two for one special?
> 
> anyways, welcome back and thanks for reading! i hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter. sorry it came a bit later in the day than normal; im finishing up my midterms week right now and it has been a ~struggle~. tune in next week for some Real Sadboi Hours (TM) and the battle at tailtean plains. as if it wasnt bad enough dimitri, dedue, and mercie are there, but my baby boi just had to show up as well :(
> 
> many thanks and the entirety of my love to those of you who left kudos and comments, i dont know what id do without you folks <3
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you all next friday eve!!


	11. Chapter 11

Byleth did not know what day it was. All she knew was the bumping of the infirmary cart down a dirt road, the jingling of tack, and the smell of medicine. She had lost track of how long she had been laying here, confined to ride with the wounded back to Garreg Mach. The soldiers riding with her stirred occasionally, moaning in pain, only to be quickly silenced again by a physician. She knew they were gravely wounded. Perhaps she was wounded too. She dared not close her eyes, as all she could see in that darkness was visions of her lovers dead before her. She chose instead to stare blankly at the trees as they passed, their shapes bleeding into a wash of green. She wondered if this was what death felt like. Despite the sun shining down, she found herself hopelessly cold. Perhaps death would be preferable to the coming battle. She knew who she would face there, and she wondered if she had the strength to do so. Did she have the right to take down the King of Faerghus? So many times she had watched him recover from the brink and become a truly benevolent leader. He was more a leader than she ever was. 

She was snapped out of her head as the wagon entered a clearing. She knew they must be getting close to the monastery. She continued her blank stare at the sky as they entered the town, desperately avoiding eye contact with any of the citizens. She knew they could see her, but she did not care. All she wanted was to lay in her bed. Before long, the wagon crossed through the monastery gate and came to a stop. A flurry of healers and physicians descended on the wounded soldiers, removing them carefully from the wagon. But no one came for her. She knew she should get up, but she couldn't force her body to move. A set of footsteps approached, pausing at the end of the wagon. Someone climbed up beside her, and she found herself lifted into a warm pair of arms. Caspar was surprisingly quiet as he carried her through the monastery, and Byleth stared blankly at her hands. Before she knew it, they were in her room. Caspar put her down gently on the bed, and Bernadetta gently tucked the covers around her. Byleth could have laughed, she had no idea Bernie had been with them the whole time. Perhaps she should have been an assassin. Bernadetta patted Byleth’s shoulder gently, and she and Caspar quickly left the room. Byleth stared absently at the ceiling, the cracking of the fire in the background bringing her a bit of comfort. She found herself pulled into a fitful sleep, tormented by a pair of scorning vermillion eyes.

-

Hubert strode towards the training grounds, his thoughts racing. He had heard that she was there training, and it took all of his strength not to sprint to her. She had not been seen in more than a week, and were it not for Linhardt’s daily visits and subsequent reports, he might have far darker thoughts. He knew she was not taking Felix’s death well; she had been particularly close to the broody swordsman and the young Gautier during their academy days. He had wondered if she would convince them to join their cause, but was not displeased that the Kingdom nobles never found themselves among the Black Eagles. At the time, he attributed his pleasure to a distrust of the Kingdom, but now he wondered if there was another far more selfish underlying cause.

He quietly climbed the stairs to the training grounds, and fought back a smile at the familiar sound of Byleth at work. He lingered in the stairway, hidden by the shadows as she continued her training. She laid down a brutal stream of attacks on a training dummy; each strike of her lance sending a small piece of the dummy flying off to the side. As pleased as he was to see her, an uneasy feeling still coiled in his stomach. Her expression was unsettlingly neutral, not a hint of emotion crossed her face as she worked. She looked empty; as if she was merely a hollow shell swinging a lance. This was the Ashen Demon he expected all those years ago, back before he had allowed her to push her way into his heart. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid; he was terrified. She was the first person he had dropped his guard around; the first person to break down every wall he put up. And now he found himself back behind a wall, though it was not one of his own. He hated this feeling, and he became increasingly uncomfortable as she continued to annihilate the dummy. He debated leaving, but his legs would not move. As much as his stomach turned, his heart still pounded as he regarded her. At last she stopped her assault, but the uneasy feeling would not go away. She wiped a few beads of sweat off her brow as she surveyed her work, turning her back to him. He stepped towards her, though he did not know why.

“Hubert.” she called over her shoulder, her voice a cold monotone. He froze. How did she know he was there? Were his skills dulling now that he was a soldier instead of an assassin? He swallowed the lump in his throat and entered the training area, but he found himself at a loss for words.

“Professor.” he replied, his voice shaky. He hoped she didn’t notice. His eyes were drawn to the black cloth wrapped around her hand, a stark reminder of the last time they had met together in this place.

“Can I help you with something?” she asked, tucking her arm behind her back. He quickly looked away from her, embarrassment turning his cheeks a light shade of pink.

“No. I was just…” he trailed off, scrambling for words. He knew he shouldn’t tell her that he was there merely to stare at her, despite the truth of that statement. She raised an eyebrow at him; he was taking too long to come up with an answer. “...I was just coming here to train. But I saw you training, and thought it best that I not interrupt you.”

“Okay. Don’t let me get in your way, then.” She turned to walk away, but he lurched forward, grabbing her wrist tightly. What was he doing?

“Ah, would you mind staying? Perhaps you could give me some pointers.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his heart pounding in his ears. She stared at him for a moment, her light green eyes seeming to look directly into his soul. She nodded stiffly, and he nearly sighed with relief. He let go of her wrist, moving to take off his cloak. Thankfully, Byleth seemed to ignore the fact that he was not dressed for training in any way. He settled for removing his coat and tunic, leaving him in just an undershirt. He selected a lance off of the rack and approached a training dummy, dropping into a ready stance. His heart pounded in his ears as he began his routine, Byleth’s cold eyes scanning over every inch of his body. He tried to focus on the swings of his lance, but all he could think about was the feeling of her eyes on him. Perhaps if things were different, if she was not made of stone, he might have enjoyed the feeling. But now it unnerved him and broke his heart at the same time. When he reached the end of his routine, his chest heaving and a line of sweat forming on his forehead, he turned back to face her. Her eyes scanned over him as she pursed her lips.

“Looked good. Watch your footwork though, it was sloppier than usual.” she stated blankly, her eyes still boring into him.

“I see. Thank you.” he replied, earning a small nod from her. Normally he would try to engage her further, but the cold feeling emanating from her had pulled the words from his mouth.

“Well, I guess I’ll be off then.” she said, turning to leave without waiting for a reply. The door closed behind her and he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, quickly turning to put the lance back on the rack. He gathered his cloak and garments, heading towards the sauna. He nearly couldn’t hide his disappointment when he didn’t find Byleth there. He changed his clothes and entered the sauna, adding a ladle of water to the hot stones. He sunk into his favorite spot in the corner, leaning back and closing his eyes as the warm steam enveloped him.

Images of Byleth flashed to his mind, and he smiled to himself as happy memories from the past played out before him. He found himself pulled in by a particularly fond memory. Byleth beamed at him as they walked through the monastery, her sweet laughter echoing through the halls. Perhaps it was selfish, but he couldn’t deny that he wished she would only smile so brightly at him. He wished she would smile that way again, but war was vicious and cruel. He wanted so desperately to take her pain away; to take even a portion of her suffering onto himself. Perhaps it would have been better for her if she had not rejoined them all those moons ago; if she had merely vanished into distant memory. He pondered a while more, and came to a realization that nearly took his breath away. He would rather have lost this war than see her go through so much suffering. What was he thinking? His allegiance was to the Empire; to Edelgard. He had already sworn his life to her cause. He could not place an accurate name to this feeling; guilt at the thought of betraying Edelgard and yearning to devote his life to Byleth. He opened his eyes, shaking the thought out of his head. Was he really considering turning his back on everything he’d ever known? He left the sauna in a rush, returning to his chambers as his mind raced with thoughts of Byleth and Edelgard. As he passed Byleth’s chambers he wondered if she was inside. Not as though she would want to see him anyways. He entered his chambers in a huff, collapsing onto his bed with a sigh. He quickly drifted off into sleep, his dreams filled with images of Byleth and Edelgard.

-

“What turn of events has brought you so suddenly to Garreg Mach, Uncle?” Edelgard asked, her tone firm. Hubert and Byleth stood beside her, eyeing their unexpected visitor inquisitively.

“Well, my business in the old Alliance territory had roughly finished. I wanted to see the face of my niece, who so bravely took Arianrhod.” Lord Arundel said with a small smile. Hubert gritted his teeth. “I have heard that it was done with truly magnificent tact. And that you even deceived some of your allies…”

“I'm happy to have earned your praise. However, to say that I deceived my allies is a bit misleading. I despise leaks of information, and there may have been a church rat hiding amongst our ranks.” Edelgard replied. Hubert noticed how tightly her hands were clenched at her sides.

“Ah, I see. However, there are some unfortunate consequences. Cornelia surely planned to betray them, but... she has been struck down. Truly wasteful meddling. Unless... Was it your intention to kill her?” Arundel asked, narrowing his eyes at them. Edelgard exhaled sharply, but her reply was cut off by Byleth.

“It was.” Byleth said coldly. Hubert almost laughed to himself. While he could not deny that he was more than happy to eliminate another of Arundel’s ranks, hearing Byleth say it directly to his face gave Hubert a feeling of sweet satisfaction. Edelgard’s eyes widened as Arundel reeled from Byleth’s unexpected response.

“Professor, don't joke about that. The only ones we came to kill were our enemies. She used a terrible magic weapon... Dolls that she could move and fight with. Did you know about them?” Edelgard asked, though Hubert already knew the truth that Arundel would undoubtedly conceal.

“Well now... If that were the case, would it not have been better to keep her as an ally? If you are only capable of such imprudence, this dark cloud might hang over the Empire's future as well.” Arundel narrowed his eyes at Edelgard, who clenched her jaw in return. Hubert’s blood boiled.

“Thank you for your concern. However, I will sweep aside any darkness that comes our way.” Edelgard said firmly. She was too kind to him. If Hubert had his way, Arundel would be rotting in the Valley of Torment for the rest of his days.

“I will be praying. Praying that the Empire will not become another Arianrhod.” Arundel replied, a wicked grin on his face. Hubert felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to find one of his spies with an anxious look on her face. Hubert stepped aside as Edelgard and Arundel continued their infuriating dance.

“Another Arianrhod? Just what do you mean…” Edelgard asked, looking over her shoulder at Hubert as his spy whispered in his ear. Hubert’s face dropped, and Edelgard’s heart sank along with it.

“Hmph. I must take my leave now. Farewell.” Arundel turned on his heel and strode out of the hall, leaving Edelgard annoyed and anxious. Hubert’s spy finished her report, and he quickly returned to Edelgard’s side, worry knitting his brows together.

“We just received some truly shocking news. It is said that pillars of light have rained from the heavens and disintegrated Arianrhod.” Hubert stated, shaking his head slightly as he spoke. Edelgard’s heart stopped for a moment. Byleth stared into Hubert’s soul.

“Disintegrated?” Edelgard exclaimed, her eyes wide.

“How is that possible…” Byleth asked, her monotone voice still unsettling.

“It was likely some type of magic... Perhaps a forbidden art.” Hubert replied, losing himself to thought.

“Hubert! Give me the full report!” Edelgard demanded, snapping him out of his head and back into reality.

“Ah, my apologies. I, of all people, should be able to control my discomposure.” He shook his head, taking a steadying breath before diving into the report. “The pillars of light descended and exploded, resulting in the complete destruction of the main building and the north wall. It is believed that all key people within House Rowe, including its leader, were killed. Of the Imperial officers and men we kept at Arianrhod, about a third are unaccounted for…”

“It can't be true…” Edelgard trailed off, pulled into thoughts of her own. “So...this is my uncle's trump card. In exchange for striking down Cornelia, he has destroyed Arianrhod!”

“Perhaps we acted too soon in our disposal of Cornelia…” Hubert replied, cursing himself for being so blind. He, of all people, should have seen this coming.

“No. If we'll be fighting them soon, there's no disadvantage to weakening their forces. It's also extremely valuable that we forced them to show their hand. Hubert, the investigation you made into the legend of Ailell, the Valley of Torment…” Edelgard trailed off as they both connected the dots. “This is likely what took place back then as well.”

“Yes... The probability is high.” he said, earning a questioning look from Byleth.

“The same thing happened in the past?” Byleth asked, her eyes staring into Hubert’s. He chuckled to himself; he never expected her to be interested in his work.

“Yes, it is quite likely. North of Garreg Mach there is a valley where the earth is always aflame. Once, javelins of light fell from the sky there... they pierced the earth and set the forest ablaze, creating a land of torment. We believed it may have been the work of the goddess, but... It was actually an attack by those who slither in the dark. That sums up all that we know.” Hubert explained, his heart skipping a beat at how intently she had listened.

“By gifting us that knowledge, those who died at Arianrhod will not have died in vain.” Edelgard said, her hands clenched at her sides once more.

“Indeed. It would be good to control the flow of this information.” Hubert suggested, earning nods from both Edelgard and Byleth.

“True. We'll conceal this from everyone as best we can. I trust you, my teacher.” Edelgard nodded to them before hurrying off to the Cardinals room. Hubert and Byleth remained side by side, each completely absorbed in their own thoughts.

“Perhaps we should follow Her Majesty to the Cardinals room. I am sure a meeting will be held shortly.” Hubert suggested. Byleth nodded her agreement, and they walked briskly through towards the Cardinals room, each one still trapped in their heads. When they reached their destination, they were surprised to find Linhardt and Dorothea already seated beside each other at the strategy table. Byleth and Hubert silently took their seats, and a sense of anxiety and dread hung over the room. The rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force filed in relatively quickly; it was obvious that many of them had sprinted to the meeting. Once everyone was seated, Edelgard entered with Hubert’s spy. Edelgard took her seat at the table and signaled to the spy, who launched into a full report of the destruction of Arianrhod. Hubert watched as horror washed over the faces of his comrades; Dorothea even began to cry. When the spy finished her report, silence hung over the room as everyone grappled with the news.

“The church has displayed their cowardice by indiscriminately using forbidden practices to kill the residents there. Their victims also include members of House Rowe, the Imperial army, and many, many more.” Edelgard stated, earning looks of disgust and sadness from their comrades.

“According to our investigation, the forbidden attack that destroyed Arianrhod cannot be used again so quickly. Even so, we cannot delay our efforts. We must put a stop to all of this by the end of next month. The leader of one of the Imperial factions has already initiated an attack on the Fraldarius territory lost by Rodrigue…” Hubert trailed off. He was not sure now was the best time for a call to action, but he knew that the Imperial army’s reaction must be swift. “Soon, all obstacles blocking our path to Fhirdiad will have vanished.”

“A cornered animal is at its most deadly. We must move quickly.” Edelgard added. Everyone murmured in agreement. “Next, we march through the Tailtean Plains. After that, we destroy Fhirdiad. At that time, complete Imperial control over Fódlan will finally be a reality.”

“Ah, I'm shaking with excitement! Bring on the battle!” Caspar exclaimed. As irritating as his demeanor could be sometimes, his attitude was preferable to the grim air that lingered over the room.

“I understand that a confrontation is inevitable. Still…” Dorothea trailed off, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “I wonder if there's some path we could take that would cause less suffering…”

“This is the only path for the goal we are reaching for, and so we must keep walking on it. We are walking down the path to a better tomorrow.” Petra added, putting a comforting hand on Dorothea’s shoulder.

“A cornered church... Hmm, well, count me out from any forbidden sorcery that can destroy whole cities. If only there was an easier way to get more information on Crests and Relics…” Linhardt added, his expression pained.

“You are as negative as usual, Linhardt. We have but one order. To emerge victorious!” Ferdinand said, his eyes narrowing as they met Hubert’s.

“We're going to win this! We really are! After all, if we lose, everything will be terrible forever! Oh, no way! We can't let that happen!” Bernadetta worried, looking to Caspar for support.

“There's a lot to worry about, but...I'm sure it will all work out! We'll win no matter what!” Caspar reassured her, giving her a small smile.

“Thank you, my friends. We depart in four days. I am counting on you all.” Edelgard stated, earning nods and smiles from her comrades. She stood to leave, and tapped Hubert on the shoulder as she passed him. He stood to follow her out, but cast a glance back at Byleth. She looked small, lonely, and broken as she sat silently and solemnly among her chattering comrades. He wanted nothing more than to go to her, but he knew his place was ever at Edelgard’s side. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, and he felt her sadness as though it was his own. His heart broke. He tore his eyes away from hers, and forced himself to follow Edelgard out the door.

-

Byleth stared into the fire as it snapped and cracked, sending a stream of sparks up into the night sky. She did not know where they were, and she did not care. She was fine. All she knew was the comforting repetition of marching and camping. She was thankful for it, as it gave her something to do besides train. She had devoted most of her days to training as of late, as she had finally been given clearance to use a lance again. She should have been happy at this news, but it passed through her mind without a second thought. She listened to the soldiers milling about around her; it was nearly time to turn in for the night. Tonight, however, she found herself wanting to be anywhere but in her tent. Perhaps she would sleep here under the stars, like she used to back when… When was it again? Her memory had grown foggy in the past few weeks, but she was relieved to be free of the constant nightmares of her past that had plagued her for so long. It was fine. She was fine. She stretched her arms over her head with a yawn and moved to lay down beside the fire. It was warm, and she was cold. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she was pulled into a dreamless sleep.

The next day was much the same as the previous day, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the… How long had they been marching now? Byleth tried to count the days on her hands, but all she could remember was the monotony of the march, which was now, and the monotony of the monastery, which was in the past. Perhaps she should be concerned about this sudden memory loss, but she shrugged it off much like she did everything else. She walked through the camp as soldiers and her students conversed around her. Try as she might, she could not ignore the looks her students gave her when she passed. She knew they were concerned, but their worry was misplaced. She was fine. She found a seat by an unoccupied fire, and began her nightly routine of staring into the flames. The smoke stung her eyes at first, but she had almost grown to love the feeling. Her eyes burned as she blinked, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with her hand. She was fine. 

She continued her gaze into the fire as the sun sank low in the sky. She looked up for a moment; the sky was painted shades of orange, blue, and gold. Such a sight should have made her smile; she should want to remember such a sight. But she was fine. She returned her gaze to the fire as the sky turned dark. The sounds of the night began around her, as soldiers gathered around campfires to chat before bed. They did not join her fire, which she honestly preferred. Before she knew it, soldiers began turning in for the night. She tossed another log onto her fire. She became aware of a pair of eyes on her back. Someone was watching her. She debated turning around, checking her surroundings for any sign of someone watching. But her eyes stayed glued to the fire. Perhaps they would grow tired of watching her and leave. She did not care either way. If someone wanted to watch her stare into a fire, they were more than welcome to. Eventually the feeling passed, she figured that her observer must have grown bored. The camp grew quiet as everyone tucked into bed. Perhaps she should do the same. She stood, her joints stiff from sitting for so long. She stretched with a groan and quickly made her way to her tent. It occurred to her that she did not know who set it up every time they made camp, and who decided its location. But it didn’t really matter; her tent was set up for her and there was nothing she could do about it. She stepped inside, removing her shoes before tucking into her bedroll. She was soon pulled into a dreamless sleep.

There was a distinct anxious energy in the air as they made camp after a long day of marching. Byleth figured this must mean they were getting close to their destination. Should she be concerned too? She placed her saddle bags on the floor of her tent and began the arduous process of removing her armor. She listened for sounds of anyone outside her tent as she went through the motions, but was only met with the occasional set of footsteps passing by. When she was at last free from her armor, she laid it out carefully on the floor beside her bedroll. Perhaps tomorrow she would meet her end in this armor. It wouldn’t be so bad, at least it’s nice armor. She debated if she should stay and sharpen her lance, but settled instead on the comfort of a campfire. She walked through the camp, ignoring the pitying looks of her students. She didn’t need their pity. She was-

“Professor, there you are.” Linhardt called. She turned to face the sleepy mage, who gave her a warm smile. “Edelgard wants to see you. Do you want me to walk with you?” Byleth shook her head no, earning a small downturn in Linhardt’s expression. “Very well then. See you around.”

She headed towards Edelgard’s tent, her thoughts racing with every step. Perhaps she would be ordered not to fight. Perhaps she was being dismissed from the army. Perhaps Edelgard had finally had enough of her. Before long, she found herself at Edelgard’s tent with little memory of how she got there. She shrugged, letting herself into the tent.

“My Teacher, thank you for coming.” Edelgard sat at the tactics table, mountains of papers spread out before her. Byleth lingered by the exit, eyeing the maps on the table.

“Is there something you need from me?” Byleth asked.

“You and I both know we have a decisive battle ahead. As much as this worries me, I find that I am more worried about you. I can see that you are not well. I do not expect you to open your heart to me, but I do know a fair bit about grief. You recall when I told you about the fate of my siblings? They were my world. So when they were… lost, I became lost too. I see myself in you now. Your grief is valid, and you should feel no shame in it. But you are letting it consume you, and I am worried about the person you are becoming. You do not have to tell me anything now, but please, I am begging you, let me help you carry this burden.” Edelgard looked as if she was about to cry. 

Byleth wanted to say something, to tell Edelgard everything, but she could not find the words. In a flash of red fabric, Edelgard wrapped Byleth in a firm embrace. Byleth froze, her breath hitching in her throat. Edelgard held her tight, and Byleth felt a stirring in her chest. Her pulse rushed in her ears. She blinked, the sting of fresh tears rising to her eyes. In spite of herself, Byleth cried. She trembled as Edelgard held her tight, her warm embrace pulling out emotions she had tried so hard to bury. Byleth dropped her head into Edelgard’s shoulder, quiet sobs escaping her lips. Edelgard rubbed her back gently as Byleth fell apart in her arms. She did not know how long she cried, but Edelgard did not release her until her tears had dried up. Edelgard smiled at Byleth warmly, and Byleth nearly cried again. She did not realize how much she had made her friends suffer, and she vowed to make it up to them. When Edelgard sent Byleth off to bed, she knew there was someone she needed to talk to. Byleth was prepared to march through the entire camp to find him, but her search was cut short before it even started as she collided with a solid chest.

“Professor?” He looked at her as if she was a wounded animal, worry written across his face.

“H-Hubert. Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about. Are you feeling alright?” He reached out his hand to touch her arm, but let it drop to his side.

“Can we go somewhere more private?” she asked timidly. He nodded, leading her briskly back to his tent. He sat on the floor, and she sat beside him. She wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing her arms tight.

“I am listening whenever you are ready to talk.” he reassured her. She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“I realize that I have not been myself lately. I was just… so hurt from… everything. I didn’t know how else to deal with it. I know I shouldn’t have shut down, but I was just so sad and so scared and I didn’t know what else to do. It wasn’t right of me, I was trying to ignore my pain, but I just made you and everyone else hurt instead. I shouldn’t have pushed you away, you were only trying to help. I wish I could take it all back, I wish I could tell you everything but I’m so afraid. I-I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’m sorry.” She shut her eyes tight as a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill over. She froze as he placed his hand gently on her arm. She looked up at him, expecting to see anger and hatred, but found an expression that was soft and warm.

“Byleth, you have nothing to be sorry for. You are still my most trusted ally, and I want nothing more than to stand by your side once more.” he said softly. She launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck as she sobbed into his chest. He froze for a moment, but wrapped his arms around her gently as she clung to him. He pressed his head onto hers, pressing her tighter to his chest. Neither wanted to let go of the other. They lost all sense of time as they wrapped each other in a warm embrace, silent words passing between them. When Byleth at last pulled back, they both found they instantly missed the other’s warmth. He took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her hand as she dried her tears.

“Hubert?”

“Yes?”

“C-can I stay with you tonight?”

“Of course.”

-

Hubert, Edelgard, and Byleth surveyed the path to Fhirdiad as it passed through the Tailtean Plains; they all could sense something was not right. Hubert broke the silence first, drawing them all out of their heads.

“What do you think, Lady Edelgard? Will they shut themselves inside of Fhirdiad?”

“They will try to intercept us. Of course, Fhirdiad will not fall so easily. Even so…” she trailed off, rubbing her chin in thought. “If we were to cut off their supply line with a large army, it would eventually fall. It makes much more sense for them to wager everything on a victory at the Tailtean Plains.”

“The Tailtean Plains…” Byleth murmured, surveying the land in front of them. It felt strangely familiar.

“The same plains where the so-called divine Seiros defeated Nemesis, the King of Liberation, in a comeback victory over 1,000 years ago. And about 400 years ago, the hero Loog created the Kingdom by defeating the emperor of the time on those very plains. Their goal must be to recreate that scene.” Edelgard stated, her brow knit in thought and worry.

“Yes, I suppose so.” Hubert agreed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Although the Imperial army is powerful, if we were to compare the strength of our best to the best of the Knights of Seiros, we would likely come up short. The Kingdom's army and House Blaiddyd are also renowned for their unmatched persistence. On the battlefield, it can be assumed that their one and only goal will be to strike you down.” He looked intensely at Edelgard, who scoffed quietly.

“Are you telling me to stay off the battlefield?” she asked, slightly annoyed that he would even suggest such a tactic.

“Naturally. You are their aim, Your Majesty. You must know it only makes sense to keep you out of their reach.”

“And you must know that, at a time like this, I absolutely cannot withdraw.” she rebutted, earning a look of frustration from Hubert.

“Of course I know that. That is why I will refrain from asking you again to stay away from the battlefield.” he replied, a small smile rising to his lips.

“The Immaculate One, descendants of the 10 Elites, and other extremely fearsome foes await us. But with the help of our friends, we have a chance of defeating them. We're the only ones who can. Within our group, I am included among those with the kind of strength we need to win. I absolutely will not remove myself from the front lines. Professor, you have that same strength as well, whether or not you realize it yet.”

Byleth blushed as Edelgard’s eyes met hers. “I will protect you.” she replied, earning a smile and a laugh from both Edelgard and Hubert.

“Please, don't get yourself killed trying to protect me.” Edelgard chided. Byleth nodded, smiling at her friend. “Until the very end, we'll survive this trial together. Understood?” The three friends nodded, hard-set looks on their faces. They turned to gather the forces, ready to start the final battle. Byleth looked up to the sky as raindrops began pouring down, soaking friend and foe alike. They returned to find their troops anxious for a fight, a cold silence hanging over them. Edelgard stood before the army, her jaw set as she called out the signal to march on. Byleth and Hubert quickly climbed aboard their mounts, falling into place behind Edelgard as the rain poured down on them. When they at last reached the field, Edelgard signaled to Hubert and Byleth, who rushed to her side.

“A flag of blue is flapping in the rain... It must be the Kingdom army.” Edelgard said grimly, gesturing to a barely-visible flag on the opposite side of the plains. One of Hubert’s spies approached, whispering something into Hubert’s ear.

“Yes. It seems that King Dimitri is leading the troops himself.” Hubert replied. “However, the Knights of Seiros have yet to be seen. Perhaps they have split up.”

“I can't imagine that Dimitri would leave the capital to the church and face us with the Kingdom army alone. He must be planning to use the church to gain the upper hand in battle. With the rain, that must be difficult to coordinate... Still, the Knights of Seiros must be around here somewhere.” Edelgard said, scanning the open plains.

“Then we should be on alert for attacks from the side and rear as well. Inform the entire army.” Hubert said, nodding to his spy.

“Yes, sir!” the spy replied, quickly darting off to inform the rest of the troops.

“Now that I think about it, the Kingdom's army is quite different than it once was. They have taken a position of interception.” Hubert mused, a small smile on his face. “In the past, the king would have introduced himself before beginning a fair fight.”

“A fair fight... The words alone remind me of how he once was. Don't you agree, Professor?” Edelgard said, raising an eyebrow at Byleth.

“Dimitri?” Byleth replied, fighting back memories of past lives spent with the redeemed King.

“Yes. He often spoke of such things back at the monastery.” Edelgard mused, a small smile on her face.

“Well, at the present, the words 'fair fight' do not seem to suit Dimitri anymore.” Hubert replied, acid in his tone. “He dislikes making victims of his friends, but other than that, he will do most anything these days… If he stops at nothing to continue the onslaught, I cannot imagine what will become of the battlefield.”

“True. As soon as we can take our battle formation, we must advance.” Edelgard replied, staring across the plains with a sad look. “Dimitri, that past you cling to... I will soon free you from it.”

The three commanders returned to their place at the front of the army, and on Edelgard’s signal they marched onto the Tailtean Plains. Byleth was thankful she was on a wyvern, as the infantry and cavalry troops began to get stuck in the mud. Byleth soared high above the troops, scouting for a drier path. She squinted through the onslaught of rain, praying she did not see a familiar face through the storm. The army continued their march, slowly nearing the far side of the plains. Byleth continued to scout, and her pulse rushed in her ears as enemy soldiers came into view. She swooped back down to warn Edelgard, only to watch in horror as she narrowly dodged an incoming Bolting attack. Byleth cried out Edelgard’s name as she quickly recovered her stance, quickly shouting orders to the troops nearby. They charged into the marsh, their movement nearly in slow motion as they scrambled towards the mages, who began to fire back a barrage of spells. Byleth steered Frey closer to the mages, her mount skillfully dodging any attacks that came their way. Byleth approached the central mage, and gritted her teeth as she speared them through with her lance. As she pulled back to return to the air a hulking armored form caught her attention. Tears pricked her eyes. Dedue stared her down with contempt unlike anything she had ever seen from him. She fiddled with her lance nervously; she knew it would do little against his staggering defense. She turned back towards the rest of the army, intent on delivering the news of their opponents when a glint caught her eye from far off to the side of the battle. She squinted through the rain, hoping desperately that what she saw was merely her imagination, but the glint came again, bringing with it a wash of dread and anxiety. She knew she shouldn’t break off on her own, so she returned to the main force of the army as her stomach churned. Perhaps she should not have turned her back on Dedue; she knew all too well how deadly-accurate he could be with a tomahawk. But something deep inside her knew he would not attack her outright; not yet. She dove low to the ground, calling out to Hubert and Linhardt as they stood amongst the army.

“I think I saw something on the right flank.” she said, turning to squint through the rain once more. Hubert and Linhardt nodded, breaking away with their battalions towards Byleth. She signaled to her own battalion of wyvern riders, who quickly fell into formation behind her. She normally was not one to pull her men away from the main force of the army, as they provided strength in numbers for her students and the rest of the army. But if her hunch was correct, she would need all the help she could get to ensure this hidden force was swiftly routed. They hurried through the battlefield, crossing a stone bridge towards an isolated clearing. Byleth’s hunch was correct. Two great knights in silver and blue armor sat waiting for them; daring them to come closer. Byleth made the first move, flying just into their range enough to bait them forward. One of the knights charged towards her, axe ready to strike, but she had the advantage of speed and mobility. Frey pulled up at the last second, dodging the soldier’s swing as they charged beneath her. Hubert and Linhardt met them with rapid spells, easily breaking through their otherwise near-impenetrable defense. Byleth mentally patted herself on the back for choosing two mages as her backup. Before long the great knight was toppled, and Byleth almost smiled as she looked back at her friends. Clanking of armor and the wet squelch of hoofbeats on marsh sounded behind her. She whipped back around, squinting through the rain once more. The hoofbeats came closer, but Byleth couldn’t tie them to a figure. A horse’s head shifted into view. Then, the soft red glow of a relic. Byleth thought she might keel over and die.

“Don’t let this chance for vengeance go to waste” Byleth knew that voice anywhere. The second great knight rode towards her, and Byleth prepared to fight.

“Glory to the flag of the knights! Good fortune to His Majesty! Fortune...to Faerghus… Graaaaargh!” the soldier cried, his battle cry quickly turning to the roar of a demonic beast as his body transformed before Byleth’s eyes. The knight’s horse fled with a panicked whinny as the beast lumbered towards them, red eyes glowing through the rain. Sylvain hung back, the glow of his relic taunting Byleth from afar. She wondered what he thought of this, wondered how disgusted he might feel. Hubert was by her side in an instant, bewilderment written across his face.

“What the— That Kingdom soldier just changed into a Demonic Beast. Did Thales…” Hubert trailed off as the beast lumbered closer. “No. This is something simpler.” Linhardt jogged to their side, readying a spell in his hands.

“What’s the plan?” Linhardt called, looking to Byleth.

“We will break its defenses with our battalions. Once it is confused and weakened, we strike.” she said firmly, earning nods of agreement from Hubert and Linhardt. They fell into position, taking care to stay away from Sylvain as he watched from a distance. Byleth couldn’t help but be unsettled by his lurking. She called to her battalion as they rallied behind her, letting out a battle cry as they charged the beast. Their gambit landed, chipping away at the armor on the beast. Linhardt charged next, his gambit weakening the beast further. Hubert readied his sorcery engineers, who fired a massive spell at the beast, crippling it as it clutched its head in pain. The three friends then charged the beast together, hitting it with as many attacks as they could, before the beast finally fell with a pained cry. The beast lay still on its side, and they watched in horror as its form drifted away like ash, leaving behind the crumpled body of the great knight. Byleth threw up in her mouth. But now was not the time to be horrified. There was still trauma yet to come. She drove Frey forward towards the treeline. Towards where Sylvain waited for her. She stopped several feet ahead of him, close enough to see his face. Something twisted in her chest, and she clutched at the pain. Sylvain frowned.

“Professor, there’s something I should admit. I’ve got some regrets about how our lives have gone. I should have made a proper attempt to woo you before now. Instead, I have to kill you.” he called out, his face contorting from sadness and pain to grief and rage as he spoke. Tears pricked Byleth’s eyes. He readied the Lance of Ruin in his hands. She couldn’t deny the terrifying beauty that stood before her. His black and deep red armor had always been a favorite of hers, but to see it become so imposing was new and brought a searing pain to her chest. She watched as he faltered, his brow knit as he thought. She wished she knew what was going through his head. Would he spare her if she fell? Would he beg for mercy and join the Empire? He winced, and she knew his resolve was waning. Perhaps, if she just waited long enough? Hubert approached behind her, and Sylvain narrowed his eyes. The conflict there turned back to anger, his hand tightening around his lance. This was it. Byleth’s lip trembled.

“So what are you waiting for? Let’s finish this today.” Sylvain yelled. She could have laughed; he was the one who had been waiting. Byleth nodded to Hubert as Sylvain spurred his horse to charge. Byleth and Hubert began their deadly dance. Hubert fired spell after spell at Sylvain, great dark spikes raining down on Sylvain from above. His horse stumbled, and he was nearly thrown from the saddle. Byleth fought back tears as Sylvain gritted his teeth, struggling to right himself again as Hubert continued his assault. Byleth’s chest tightened as Sylvain rode close; too close. Sylvain pulled back his lance, ready to strike. Hubert’s eyes widened. A ball of white magic flew out of nowhere, hitting Sylvain square in the chest and knocking him back out of his saddle. He slammed to the ground with a heavy thud, and Byleth could hear him gasping as he struggled to regain his breath. Hubert fired another spell, searing Sylvain’s arm through the armor. Sylvain cried out, abandoning his lance as he pulled his arm to his chest. Frey dove down beside Sylvain and Byleth quickly leaped off, charging towards Sylvain as he gasped on the ground. Would he surrender? Could she spare him?

_ Marry me. I'd do anything for you. _

She approached his side.

_ With you by my side, I'm excited to find out what this new way of life is all about. _

She gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on her lance.

_ I'm going to spend the rest of our lives together trying to make you happy. _

He did not hold up his hands in surrender. She held the tip of her lance to his throat. His honey eyes stared into hers, and she could not hold back the tears any longer. Her lip trembled. A massive hole had burned through his breastplate, cherry-red and screaming skin exposed to the pouring rain. She looked back to his face. She thought she saw his expression soften. A single tear rolled down his cheek. In one swift motion, she raised her spear high above her head in both hands, and with a broken cry she plunged it down towards his chest.

Her lance connected with his flesh.

Time shattered around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha ouch
> 
> welcome back and thanks for reading! i hope you all enjoyed this weeks chapter. tune in next week for some spicee times with my favorite son of gautier ;)
> 
> many many thanks and all my love to those of you who left comments and kudos, im always thrilled to hear from you folks <3
> 
> thanks again for reading, see you all next friday eve!!


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